Mitsubishi Electric Corporation and Musashi Energy Solutions Co., Ltd. have sealed a co-development agreement for innovative energy storage devices. Specifically, these devices will go into energy storage modules and battery management systems (BMS) that monitor and control battery usage for railways and rolling stock manufacturers.

The joint agreement will leverage on Mitsubishi Electric’s advanced technologies in Innovative Energy Storage Modules. Particularly, it will upgrade Musashi Energy Solutions’ Innovative Energy Storage Devices with functions for vibration resistance, insulation, and waterproofing.

Propels Carbon Neutrality

As they are critical in railcars and other forms of vehicles, the devices need to achieve long service life and high safety levels. Moreover, they need to have high output density not possible with conventional lithium-ion batteries. Also, they also need to have high-capacity density not possible with conventional hybrid supercapacitors.

In addition, the modules are expected to provide optimal output density and capacity density to absorb high regenerative power generated during railcar braking and output running power.

The Innovative Energy Storage Module will enable power storage for hydrogen fuel cell hybrid trains, diesel hybrid trains, and overhead catenary-less trains. Also, they complement as well substation peak shaving, brake resistor replacement, and other various railway solutions, both onboard and above ground. Essentially, the purpose of these technologies is to support carbon neutrality.

Strengthening Sustainability

In the future, Innovative Energy Storage Modules and BMSs combine technologies from both companies. Specifically, Mitsubishi Electric technologies for manufacturing compact energy-saving power electronics devices and for high-precision estimation of battery state of charge (SOC) and state of health (SOH). Also, Musashi Energy Solutions technologies for manufacturing pre-doped** Energy Storage Devices, a byproduct of the company’s HSC expertise. Thus, the goal is to contribute to more sustainable railways by reducing both CO2 emissions and power consumption and streamline facilities.

Mitsubishi Electric’s global sales network will be used to sell Innovative Energy Storage Modules to railway companies overseas as well as in Japan.

Railway companies, especially in the EU, are strengthening their sustainability initiatives by introducing eco-friendly railcars equipped with energy storage technology to reduce both CO2 emissions and power consumption, and other technologies for streamlining facilities and managing shifting power peaks. In addition to railways, various infrastructure also require more stable and effective power utilization through the use of advanced energy storage technology.

16 May 2024