Environmental Technology Overview
In creating this list, the classifications and explanations on "Environmental Technology Explanation " from "Kankyo Tenboudai" on the website of National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan, were employed with edits and modifications by Global Environment Centre Foundation.
Project Example is introducing the adopted projects by JCM: JCM Model Project and JFJCM etc. and Innovation/Co-Innovation: Financing Program to Demonstrate Decarbonization Technology Innovation and Financing Program to Demonstrate Decarbonization Technology for Realizing Co-Innovation.
Climate Change
| Category | Technology | Outline |
|---|---|---|
| Renewable Energy | Wind Power Generation | Wind power generation is power generation that uses the energy of the wind. As technology advances, costs are becoming lower, and the world continues to expand rapidly. While it has the advantage of being able to generate power even at night, there are many issues such as fluctuations in the amount of power generated depending on the wind conditions, and a wide range of technological developments such as wind condition prediction, power generation control, upsizing, and installation methods at various locations including offshore is underway. |
| Biomass Power Generation | Biomass power generation utilizes renewable biological resources such as wood and plant residues as raw materials to generate electric power. | |
| Solar Power Generation | Solar power generation is a major renewable energy that can generate electricity as long as there is sunlight and does not generate greenhouse gases, and is being promoted as one of the next-generation main power sources. In addition, the efficiency of photovoltaic power generation is not easily affected by the scale, so it is widely used from calculators to mega solar (large-scale solar power plants). | |
| Hydropower Generation | Hydroelectric power is a method that uses the potential energy of water to turn an impeller by hydraulic power due to falling or running water, and then turns a generator with that power to obtain electrical energy. Depending on the power generation capacity, about 10 MW or less is called small hydropower, and about 1 MW or less is called micro hydropower, and there are flow-in type, dam type, pumped-storage type, etc. as the power generation method. | |
| Geothermal Power Generation | Geothermal power generation directly or indirectly utilizes steam and/or hot water produced by geothermal heat, and emits less carbon dioxide (CO2) than thermal power generation. Unlike solar and wind, stable power output is possible regardless of weather, season, day or night. | |
| Biomass Utilization | Bio Fuel | Biofuel is a fuel made from biomass (biological resources). As global warming countermeasures become an urgent issue, it is expected to expand its use as a fuel to replace fossil fuels. |
| Other Biomass Utilization | There are various biomass utilization technologies such as direct combustion, saccharification, fermentation, gasification, and resynthesis for converting biomass into heat, gas, fuel, chemicals, etc., and the above-mentioned biomass power generation and biofuel. Besides, it is used for manufacturing biomass, feed, fertilizer, chemicals, etc. | |
| Energy saving technology / Energy effective utilization technology |
Cogeneration | Cogeneration is a technology that uses gas turbines, gas engines, diesel engines, or fuel cell batteries to generate electricity and uses the exhaust heat to generate steam. It is also called "combined heat and power" because it obtains heat and power at the same time. |
| Combined Cycle Power Generation | Combined cycle power generation is a power generation technology that combines power generation using a gas turbine and power generation using a steam turbine. This makes it possible to increase the efficiency of conventional thermal power generation. | |
| Heat Pump | A heat pump is a device that collects heat from a low-temperature heat source with a small amount of energy and sends it to a high-temperature heat source, and is called a "pump that transfers heat". It is often used as an energy-saving technology for air conditioners and water heaters. | |
| ESCO (Energy Service Company) business | The ESCO business is a new energy-saving service, and it is possible for ESCO companies to carry out all the process of the energy-saving such as energy-saving diagnosis, making plans, constructions, measurements and verifications of energy-saving effects etc, and guarantee the energy-saving effect. In addition, since the energy-saving investment is covered by the reduced energy cost, customers do not have to invest to realize the energy-saving plans. | |
| High-efficiency Lighting | High-efficiency lighting, such as high-efficiency fluorescent lamps, high-efficiency LED lighting and organic EL, are expected to be put into practical use as energy-efficient lighting technologies in the future. | |
| Electricity Storage Technology | Electricity storage technology is expected to help the efficient use of energy towards a low-carbon society. We will introduce the latest development trends regarding the various methods. | |
| Green IT | Green IT is an idea that applies considerations for the global environment to the information and the communication technologies, which is an indispensable technology for reducing energy consumption and combating global warming. | |
| Fuel Conversion | Fuel conversion is a technology that can convert to lower carbon fuels. Natural gas can emit less carbon dioxide than coal or oil to obtain the same energy. | |
| Unused Energy | The term "unused energy" refers to energy that has not been used enough despite its potential for effective use, such as waste heat from heating and cooling of factories, subways and underground malls, or heat due to the temperature differences between outside and river and sewage, or latent heat of snow and ice. | |
| Boiler | Boilers are equipment and devices that boil water to produce hot water and steam. Boilers used in manufacturing plants were mainly furnace tube smoke tube boilers, but recently there are efficient and compact once-through boilers. Heavy oil is generally used as fuel, but more and more are using CNG, which emits less CO2. | |
| Waste Heat Power Generation / Waste Heat Recovery | Waste heat power generation is a method of generating electricity by utilizing heat emitted or disposed of in the air or water. Generally, waste heat is not very hot, so Stirling engines or thermoelectric conversion elements are commonly used, but there is also a method such as steam power generation by concentrating sunlight to obtain high temperatures. | |
| Other Energy-saving Technology | Other energy-saving technologies are technologies that do not belong to the above-mentioned energy-saving technologies, but can efficiently use energy and reduce energy consumption. | |
| Eco-Building | Energy Saving Building | Energy-saving building is a building that aims to reduce (minimize) energy consumption by incorporating various energy-saving technologies related to buildings, mainly in commercial buildings such as offices, shops, hotels, schools, and hospitals. |
| Energy Management System (EMS) | An energy management system (EMS) is a system that uses sensors and IT technology to visualize energy consumption while actively controlling it to save energy, and to efficiently manage and control energy consumption by managing energy supply from renewable energy or equipment such as storage batteries. These systems are referred to as HEMS (home energy management systems), BEMS (building energy management systems), FEMS (factory energy management systems), CEMS (community energy management systems), etc depending on the type of targets. | |
| Heat Island Measures | The heat island phenomenon, in which the temperature in urban areas is higher than in the suburbs, creates various harmful effects and risks. As countermeasures, reduction of artificial exhaust heat, improvement of ground surface coating, improvement of urban form, improvement of lifestyle, promotion of adaptation measures, etc. are being promoted. | |
| Rooftop Greening / Wall Greening | There is a continuing movement to promote rooftop greening and wall greening of buildings for the purpose of measures against the heat island and the beautification of urban spaces. | |
| Eco-mobility | Hybrid Vehicle (HV) | A hybrid vehicle (HV) is a vehicle equipped with multiple different power sources such as an Internal combustion engine and an electric motor. By combining the advantages of each, we have achieved low fuel consumption and low pollution. |
| Electric Vehicle (EV) | An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle that supplies the electricity stored in a battery to a motor to obtain driving force for driving. With the start of general-purpose sales of electric vehicles (EVs) and the advent of high-performance batteries, it is expected to be one of the major next-generation vehicles with energy saving, decarbonization, and low pollution. | |
| Light Rail Transit (LRT) | Light Rail Transit (LRT) is a new type of tram transportation that is comfortable and energy efficient. Light rail, which is a public transportation system, is attracting attention as it is energy efficient and can reduce automobile traffic. | |
| Green Logistics | Green logistics is a general term for efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions at the logistics stage by improving the logistics system. It is classified into modal shift, consolidation of transportation bases, joint transportation and delivery, and upsizing of vehicles. | |
| ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) and autonomous driving system | ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) is a system that utilizes ICT to realize smooth and safe road traffic. In addition, the autonomous driving system is a technical system for driving autonomous vehicles (robot cars), and is positioned as an important part of ITS technology together with the safe driving support system. | |
| Carbon dioxide Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) |
Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) |
Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) is the technology composed by the capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) from exhaust gases generated by fuel combustion and industrial processes, the transport of the CO2 and the permanent, safe storage of the CO2 deep underground in geological formations. This technology has large potential of CO2 reduction. |
| Carbon dioxide Capture and Utilization (CCU) |
CCU is a technology that reuses carbon dioxide (CO2) as a valuable resource and reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, and also known as carbon recycling technology. CCU refers to the use of synthetic methane (e-methane) and synthetic fuel (e-fuel) as carbon-recycling fuels for decarbonization of city gas and the transportation sector, as well as long-term fixation of CO2 as a product. CCS and CCU together are also called CCUS. | |
| Adaptation Technology | Global Observation Technology | Global observation is necessary to understand and analyze the global environment and the actual situation of disasters and to use them for effective countermeasures. We will realize global observation by utilizing satellite observation technology, aircraft observation technology, ocean observation technology, etc. |
| Climate Change Forecasting Technology | Climate change prediction refers to forecasting global climate change, including global warming, using computer models and the like. As global warming becomes an important international issue, high-precision forecast research using supercomputers is being promoted in each country, and its importance is increasing. | |
| Regional Observation / Monitoring Control Technology |
It is a technology that accurately and highly efficiently grasps and analyzes the actual conditions of the environment and disasters in a specific area, and is useful for effective countermeasures. We will realize a richer, safer and more secure future by utilizing advanced technologies such as satellite observation technology, aircraft observation technology, and ocean observation technology, and IoT. | |
| Disaster Countermeasure Technology | It is a resilient response technology to prepare for natural disasters and epidemics, or to minimize damage when hit by them. | |
| Ozone Layer Protection Technology | Fluorocarbon Recovery and Treatment Technology | Fluorocarbon recovery / treatment technology is a general term for technologies that recover specific chlorofluorocarbons that cause ozone layer depletion and perform treatment such as destruction. Applications of CFCs include refrigerants (car air conditioners, commercial air conditioners, household air conditioners, refrigerators / refrigeration equipment), heat insulating materials (refrigerators, building materials), and the like. |
| Alternative CFCs / Non-CFCs | CFC substitutes are substances such as HCFCs, HFCs, and PFCs that have been developed to replace "specific CFCs" (CFCs) that have been targeted for reduction under the Montreal Protocol as ozone-depleting substances. In addition, the development of non-CFC refrigerants and foaming agents that do not use CFCs is underway. | |
| Hydrogen Technology | Hydrogen Supply / Utilization Technology |
When used as energy, hydrogen has the advantage that its output can be adjusted according to demand and it does not generate CO2. It is indispensable for aiming for carbon neutrality because it can be manufactured from various primary energies by various methods, especially renewable energy that fluctuates or is surplus can be used, and long-term storage is easy even after manufacturing. It is expected as one of the important fields. |
| Fuel Cell | Fuel cell is a technology that generates electric power and heat by a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen (reverse reaction of electrolysis of water). During power generation, carbon dioxide is not generated, and there is no noise or vibration. |
Waste / Recycle
| Category | Technology | Outline |
|---|---|---|
| 3R (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycling) |
Resource Reduce Technology | It is a technology that controls the input of resources and the generation of waste at the stages of product manufacturing, distribution, consumption, and use. Specifically, we are reducing the amount of raw materials used (resource saving), extending the life of products, and reducing the amount of waste and by-products in the manufacturing process. |
| Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) | This is a method for quantitatively evaluating the environmental impact of the entire product / service life cycle (resource extraction-raw material production-product production-distribution / consumption-disposal / recycling) or at a specific stage thereof. Carbon footprint, scope 3 etc. are examples of its application. | |
| Civil engineering materials using recycled materials | Thery are civil engineering materials manufactured from construction waste, industrial by-products, molten slag (residues after heat treatment of general waste and industrial waste), sewage sludge, etc. Includes aggregates, roadbed materials, water permeable blocks, etc. | |
| Rare Metal Recycling | Rare metals and rare earths, which are indispensable for industries in a wide range of fields, require technology to collect and recycle when disposing of products in order to maintain a stable supply. | |
| Waste Food Recycling | Technology that reduces the volume of food waste and recycles it into feed and fertilizer. There are feeds that are produced and used by livestock farmers, fertilizers that are produced by fertilizers and used by farmers, fats and oils and fat products, and methane that is generated. | |
| Containers and Packaging Recycling | Containers and packaging recycling technology is a general term for technologies for recycling container and packaging waste such as glass bottles, paper containers and packaging, PET bottles, and plastic containers and packaging. | |
| Paper Recycling | Paper recycling technology is a general term for technology that reuses unnecessary paper discharged from homes and offices as paper or other products. | |
| Household Appliance Recycling | Home appliance recycling is a technology that collects metals and plastics from the collected used home appliances (TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, etc.) and recycles them. | |
| Automobile Recycling | Automobile recycling technology is a general term for technologies for recycling parts and materials such as steel plates (iron, aluminum), bumpers, batteries, and glass that compose used automobiles. | |
| Construction Recycling | Construction recycling technology is a general term for technology that recycles construction by-products such as concrete lumps, asphalt / concrete lumps, waste wood, and sludge. Related laws and regulations include the "Act on the Recycling of Materials Related to Construction Work" (Construction Recycling Act). | |
| Waste Plastics Recycling | It is a technology that collects and sorts plastic products that are discarded after use and recycles them into the original plastics and intermediate products. (Excluding in-process recycling that puts scraps from the plastic molding process into the process) | |
| Extending the life of buildings | There is growing interest in long-life buildings toward the realization of a recycling-oriented, low-carbon society. Introducing initiatives from both software and hardware perspectives. | |
| Eco Material | Raw materials for final products Materials with reduced environmental impact at each stage of manufacturing, procurement, transportation, product manufacturing, product use, collection, waste, and recycling. | |
| Upcycle | Upcycling refers to the recycling of unused materials or waste into products with higher added value than before. Upcycling and recycling are the same in that they both reuse discarded materials, but upcycling is characterized by not only returning the material to its raw material or materials, but also making use of the materials of the original product to create a product with higher added value. For example, layering old flyers into a well-designed tote bag or synthesizing aviation fuel (SAF) from waste biomass can be called upcycling. | |
| Waste Treatment | Gasification and melting technology | Gasification and melting is a technology that thermally decomposes waste, burns the generated combustible gas and char (charcoal-like unburned material) at a higher temperature, and melts ash, incombustibles, etc. with the combustion heat. It has features such as suppression of dioxin generation, reduction of waste volume, and recycling of molten slag. |
| Refuse derived fuel (RDF, RPF) | Refuse derived fuel is a technology for producing solid fuel such as RDF (Refuse Derived Fuel) and RPF (Refuse Paper & Plastic Fuel) from waste (garbage). | |
| Waste to energy | Waste power generation is a method of generating electricity by producing high-temperature and high-pressure steam from the heat generated when incinerating waste and turning a turbine with the steam. There are several types depending on the type and nature of the waste used as a heat source. | |
| Waste incineration | Incineration is a technology for burning waste and melting the incineration ash produced by the combustion for the purpose of reducing the volume of waste, detoxifying it, and recycling it. There are several methods depending on the type of incinerator, but they can be broadly divided into "incinerators" that burn waste and "melting furnaces" that melt incineration ash at high temperatures. | |
| Sludge treatment and recycling | Sludge treatment maeans reducing the volume of sludge by concentration, dehydration, incineration, etc., making it hygienic and easy to handle, and reducing the amount of landfill disposal. Sludge resource recycling is a general term for technologies for recycling sludge as a resource, recovering energy, and converting it into fuel. | |
| Composting Technology | Composting technology is a technology that produces compost / organic fertilizer with short period by promoting fermantion of organic waste such as kitchen waste, animal manure and sewage sludge. The technology converts from organic waste to safe and hygienic compost / organic fertilizer by heat of decompostion of microorganisms effect under the aerobic condition. | |
| Final disposal and leachate treatment | Final disposal means landfill disposal of waste. This is because it is carried out at the end of a series of processing processes such as waste collection, sorting and incineration. Leachate treatment is for treating organic pollutants, heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, etc. contained in leachate at the final disposal site. | |
| Waste treatment process | Processes in collection / transportation, intermediate treatment and final disposal, each of which constitutes a series of flows related to waste treatment. In particular, there are many types of intermediate treatment processes, and various technologies are applied. |
Water / Soil
| Category | Technology | Outline |
|---|---|---|
| Water Quality Improvement / Water Management Technology |
Water Treatment Membrane | Water treatment membrane is a special membrane for water treatment that has pores of μm to nm (10-6 to 10-9 m), and removes impurities (bacteria, polymer, polyvalent ions, etc.) that cannot pass through the pores. There are RO membranes that desalinate seawater, NF membranes, UF membranes, MF membranes, etc. |
| Water Quality Monitoring / Management |
Water quality monitoring is a system and method for measuring, recording, or controlling water quality at points such as rivers or water treatment equipment. In the case of water quality management, in addition to water quality measurement, there are many cases where the operation of water treatment equipment is widely included. | |
| Small-scale Water Treatment Technology | As regard to wastewater treatment technology in small-scale business establishments, it is important to incorporate factors that can reduce maintenance and operation costs as much as possible. | |
| Purification in Water Area | Water purification means improving water quality and the habitat including fish, aquatic organisms, etc. by installing equipment and facilities that can remove pollutants in water areas such as rivers, lakes, and seas where water quality is deteriorating. | |
| Water Supply / Sewerage | Water supply system consists of a water purification plant that purifies water intaked from rivers and groundwater, and a water pipeline network that sends water from water purification plant to each household and business establishment. Sewerage system consists of a water pipeline network collected sewage and rainwater, and a sewage treatment plant that treats sewage from a pipeline network and discharges it into water area. |
Soil and Ground water Contamination Countermeasures | Use of Rainwater and Recycled Water | Rainwater and recycled water utilization means that water obtained by rainwater storage and sewage treatment is used as miscellaneous water for flush toilets, watering, scenic water, cleaning, etc. (except drinking) to save water resources. |
| Johkasou | Johkasou is a facility that mainly treats night soil and domestic wastewater emmited from houses, purifies it to a certain level of water quality, and then discharges it. It is being introduced mainly in areas where sewerage system is not widespread. | |
| Eutrophication Measures / Pollution Source Measures |
Eutrophication measures are to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus from polluiton sources such as homes and factories that are discharged into rivers that flow into closed water area such as lakes and bays. There are several physicochemical and biological treatment methods for reducing nitrogen and phosphorus, however, sewage treatment plants often adopt biological treatments that reduce nitrogen and phosphorus in addition to organic compounds. | |
| Soil Contamination Investigation | A soil contamination survey is a survey conducted to understand the presence or absence of contamination or the pollution status of the land during land transactions. The method is stipulated in the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Law Enforcement Regulations (2002). | |
| Soil and Groundwater Contamination Countermeasures | Soil pollution has various pollutants, geology, depth, scale, and concentration of pollution, and has different impacts on the environment. Therefore, soil pollution countermeasure technologies range from survey technology to pollution treatment technology. It is necessary to take measures corresponding to each pollution situation. | |
| Bioremediation | Bioremediation is a technology that uses microorganisms and plants to repair soil and groundwater pollution. There are two main types: biostimulation, which promotes decomposition by microorganisms that originally grow in contaminated soil, and bioaugmentation, which introduces new degrading bacteria of pollutants. |
Air
| Category | Technology | Outline |
|---|---|---|
| Exhaust Gas Treatment | Clean Diesel Vehicles (CDV) | A clean diesel vehicle (CDV) is a diesel vehicle that further reduces NOx and PM contained in the exhaust gas from conventional diesel vehicles. Combustion improvement by adjusting the fuel injection timing, oxidation / reduction of pollutants by using a catalyst, PM removal by DPF system, etc. |
| Flue Gas Desulfurization | Flue gas desulfurization technology is a technology that removes sulfur oxides (SOx) from exhaust gas from coal-fired power plants, etc. The "wet method" that absorbs SO2 with an alkaline aqueous solution or slurry, and the "dry method" that uses activated carbon, etc. and so on. | |
| Flue Gas Denitration | Flue gas denitration technology refers to technology that removes nitrogen oxides (NOx) from exhaust gas from coal-fired power plants and the like. It is divided into "dry method" and "wet method", but in Japan, the dry method, especially the selective catalytic reduction method using ammonia as a reducing agent, is most often adopted. | |
| Dust Removal Technology | The dust removal technology is a technology for removing particulate matter from the dust-containing gas generated from a dust generating facility. It is processed by a dust collector. Dust collectors can be broadly classified into six types, gravity type, inertial type, centrifugal type, cleaning type, filtration type, and electric type, depending on the dust collection method. | |
| Countermeasures against Automobile Exhaust Gases | Measures against mobile sources, especially automobile exhaust gas, among the main sources of air pollution. Emission regulations for automobiles have been gradually tightened, and the Euro 6 in Europe has become stricter along with Japan's post-new long-term regulations. Fuels are becoming sulfur-free, which reduces sulfur content, which is a problem in exhaust gas treatment. In the case of light oil, 10ppm regulations are being introduced in various countries around the world. |
|
| VOC Treatment Technologies | VOC treatment technology is a technology that captures and removes VOCs released or leaked into the atmosphere from outlets and processes in factories that handle volatile organic compounds (VOCs). |
Nature-based Solutions (NbS)
| Category | Technology | Outline |
|---|---|---|
| Nature-based Solutions (NbS) | Nature-based Solutions (NbS) |
<>NbS is a relatively new concept from International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the European Commission, defined as "actions for the conservation, sustainable management and restoration of natural and human-modified ecosystems that effectively and adaptively address social challenges and simultaneously benefit human well-being and biodiversity". Major examples include Green Infrastructure, EbA (ecosystem-based climate change adaptation), and Eco-DRR (ecosystem-based disaster prevention and mitigation). |
Other
| Category | Technology | Outline |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware/Technology | Environmental Measurement and Chemical Analysis Technologies | Environmental analysis is a technology for analyzing samples in the environment such as air, water, soil, groundwater and waste. To undestand the current state of environmental problems and take countermeasures, it is necessary to compare them with environmental quality standards (EQS) through accurate measurement and analysis. A wide range of methods are used, from simple technology to cutting-edge technology, and technological improvements are still underway. |
| Photocatalyzer | Photocatalyzer is defined as an umbrella term of substances to catalyze chemical reqction by absorbing light. Photocatalyzer enables chemical reaction difficult under the ordinary catalytic process to occur by exposing light. Photocatalyzer can be used for the wider environmental applications such as decomposition of polluted materials. | |
| Environmental Construction Technique | It is applied to construction through method with lowered environmental burdens. It would include the techniques to be applied to river dredging/landfilling and construction of electric power plants. | |
| Environmental Consulting | It refers to the environmental policy of local governments, consulting related to the environment of companies, and consulting for environmental conservation activities from various positions such as citizens, NGOs, and businesses. | |
| Service | International Contribution | Supporting private sector's overseas businesses, as a partner of the enterprise owing advanced technology/product/know-how contributable to SDGs. It is based on the achievments/records of ODA and/or consulting works overseas. |
| CSR | Supporting PR of contributions made by local government(s) and/or private companie(s), based on the concept of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). |