Okinawa is all set to make its mark in the green world, thanks to Toshiba. The company will supply the much awaited gen-next electric power system for a power company in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The power system will have storage batteries which will supply electricity generated by sources like solar panels. The testing is said to begin in 2010 at Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The testing will be carried out by adding photovoltaic systems (3MW, 1MW) and storage batteries (4MW, 200kW) to existing facilities including two thermal power plants (21,500kW, 40,000kW), a gas turbine plant (15,000kW) and five wind plants (900kW x 4, 600kW x 1).

The testing will be done to measure voltage rise, deal with surplus electricity, frequency adjustment and the works. Toshiba has plans to generate 3MW of photovoltaic electricity by setting up a mega solar power plant and 1MW at industrial plants (600kW) and residences (400kW). However the photovoltaic systems will be placed only in industrial plants and residences and not at real plants or residences during the testing stage.

The storage batteries to be used will be a 4MW sodium-sulfur battery connected to the power grid, and a 200kW lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery connected at the residences. Toshiba will assume that a 4kW photovoltaic system is set up at 100 houses and a 8kW Li-ion battery is provided to 25 houses.

[Techon]