On August 25, NYK invested in Sustainable Energy Co. Ltd. (Sustainable Energy), which operates an energy-supply business using unused resources such as flammable waste generated in cities, according to the company's release.
Sustainable Energy has developed its own integrated subcritical-water organic-waste power-generation system, or ISOP system, which decomposes organic substances using subcritical-water-treating technology and ultimately produces green energy products such as biofuels. Through this investment, NYK will begin joint studies on converting organic waste such as garbage and sludge generated on vessels into fuel by utilizing the ISOP system.
By investing in Sustainable Energy, NYK will support the commercialization of this innovative technology and jointly study the generation of energy raw materials from organic waste such as garbage and sludge using an ISOP system installed on a vessel. In the future, NYK, together with Sustainable Energy, will promote the realization of decarbonization of ships through research and development, such as applying the generated energy raw material as fuel for vessels.
The ISOP system is an innovative system comprising equipment that decomposes organic substances such as flammable waste into low-molecular-weight compounds using subcritical-water-treating technology in a closed space to generate energy raw materials in the form of powdery and dry substance. The generated energy raw materials can be reused as green energy products such as bio-coal, biogas (e.g., methane and hydrogen), bio-coke, and the like. The ISOP system is an environmentally friendly system that does not generate harmful substances such as dioxins, unlike existing incinerators.
The ISOP system does not require waste segregation and is effective for flammable waste, vinyl and plastic, styrene foam, clothing, food waste, organic sludge, animal manure and sludge, wood chips, and almost all other organic substances. The ISOP system can be easily made larger or smaller, and even movable vehicle-mounted models are being developed. The system is expected to be used in a variety of situations, such as urban-area office buildings, municipalities, and disaster areas, among others.
In February 2021, NYK released the “NYK Group ESG Story,” which aims to further integrate ESG into the company’s management strategy and promotes activities that contribute to the achievement of the SDGs through business activities. In March this year, NYK released the updated “NYK Group ESG Story 2022,” which introduces initiatives for integrating ESG into the Group’s management strategies set forth in the "NYK Group ESG Story" and provides a partial explanation of the Group’s sustainable growth strategy from a long-term perspective.