Tokyo, Japan - November 13, 2012
Yokogawa has joined Friends of the Supergrid (FOSG), a group of companies and organizations with a mutual interest in promoting and influencing policy and establishing a regulatory framework that will enable the large-scale interconnection of renewable energy systems in Europe.
A supergrid is a large-scale electricity transmission system that utilizes a high-voltage DC (HVDC) infrastructure to link renewable energy sources in remote locations with cities and other centers of consumption. Its implementation will involve the creation of "supernodes" to collect and integrate renewable energy, and route it to the best available markets.
FOSG is comprised of transmission system operators; power utilities; manufacturers of cables, turbines, and transmission and distribution systems; and project design and development organizations.
FOSG has identified seven innovation trajectories that are required for the delivery of supergrids in Europe. These call for the development of bigger wind turbines, HVDC transmission cables, supernodes, next-generation civil engineering, bigger construction vessels, bigger ports, and better information & communication technology (ICT).
It is within the last category of ICT development that Yokogawa will contribute its expertise, in areas including high-speed wireless communications, embedded systems engineering, wind-turbine control systems, and remote operations management. Harry Hauptmeijer, President of Yokogawa Europe B.V., comments as follows on Yokogawa joining the FOSG: "As a global leader in automation, control and information systems, Yokogawa is looking forward to working collaboratively with the Friends of the Supergrid. Yokogawa will provide expertise in the areas of remote plant operations and asset management for distributed renewable power generation, which will ensure the future of European energy supply through the HVDC Supergrid. The delivery of the Supergrid will require organizations to engage in collaborative R&D to implement innovative solutions that address future renewable energy technological requirements. Being a Friend of the Supergrid will enable Yokogawa to bring its core values of innovation, quality, and foresight to the organization which will contribute to a sustainable future for the European energy market."
Also commenting on this development was FOSG's CEO Ana Aguado: "With its 97-year experience and its position of leading manufacturer in the fields of measurement, control, and information, Yokogawa will bring a unique technical expertise and knowhow to the FOSG: in particular, in relation to automation and control and ITC development. We are proud to count on a company whose cutting edge research & development department has secured more than 7,000 patents and registrations. Having a Japanese-owned company as a member shows the worldwide concept of our project."
About Yokogawa
Yokogawa's global network of 90 companies spans 55 countries. Founded in 1915, the US$4 billion company conducts cutting-edge research and innovation. Yokogawa is engaged in the industrial automation and control (IA), test and measurement, and other businesses segments. The IA segment plays a vital role in a wide range of industries including oil, chemicals, natural gas, power, iron and steel, pulp and paper, pharmaceuticals, and food. For more information about Yokogawa, please visit the company's website www.yokogawa.com
About Yokogawa Europe B.V.
The European headquarters of Yokogawa was established in Amersfoort in the Netherlands in 1982. Throughout Europe and Africa, Yokogawa has its own sales, service, and engineering operations. This dedicated network has been extended to Central and East Europe and Africa to further enhance the coverage and support associated with serving the process control and automation marketplace. Yokogawa develops and produces flowmeters at Rota Yokogawa in Germany and liquid analyzers and industrial safety systems in the Netherlands. In addition to this dedicated network of Yokogawa subsidiaries, a select organization of test & measurement (T&M) subsidiaries and distributors has been established in certain areas to support the specific customer needs of this continuously developing and specific market of T&M instrumentation. For more information about Yokogawa Europe B.V., please visit the company's website www.yokogawa.com/eu/