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News Release
Fuji Electric Jointly Develops a New Peak-Shift Vending Machine That Can Keep Beverages Cold during the Day without Consuming Power
June 27,2012
Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
Tokyo, June 27, 2012 - Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. (TSE: 6504) announces today that its subsidiary, Fuji Electric Retail Systems Co., Ltd. (head office: Yokkaichi City, Mie Prefecture; president: Hidehiko Asahi), has developed a new “night-shift” type of vending machine designed to save energy during peak electricity demand. The new vending machine has been developed in collaboration with Coca-Cola (Japan) Co., Ltd. (head office: Shibuya Ward, Tokyo; Representative Director & President: Daniel H. Sayre) as part of the “Apollo” ultra-energy-saving vending machine development project.
1. Background for developing the vending machine
In the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake that struck in 2011, the business environment has changed in Japan, leading to demands for vending machines that consume power more efficiently. In this context, the Apollo joint-development project was undertaken with the goal of helping to reduce electricity consumption during peak electricity usage hours by developing more energy-efficient vending machines.
Fuji Electric will continue staying attuned to the public’s demands in this way in its ongoing efforts to be an enterprise that can respond effectively to society’s needs.
2. Special features of the vending machine
Since demand for electricity generally peaks in the daytime, this new peak-shift type of vending machine uses electricity for refrigeration during the nighttime, when electricity demand is comparatively low, thereby significantly reducing power consumption during the day. Refrigeration is performed entirely during the night and then maintained through a highly advanced insulation technology that employs vacuum insulation materials, as well as a thermal-storage technology that enables efficient electricity usage in the daytime. This allows the vending machine to provide cold beverages for an entire day without consuming any electricity for refrigeration during that peak energy-demand time.
3. Planned field test
The vending machine’s performance will be verified, and its peak-shift nighttime refrigeration functions exposed to a maximum test scenario in a field test conducted in Kumagaya City in Saitama Prefecture and Tajimi City in Gifu Prefecture, the hottest regions in Japan from July 2012.