Press Release

NSK Welcomes Visitors to Energy Harvesting 2016

Exhibit of Environmental Monitoring Terminals Using Dye-Sensitized Solar Panels with Superior Design

DSSC panel with superior design
DSSC panel with superior design

NSK Ltd. (NSK; Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan; President and CEO: Toshihiro Uchiyama) today announced that it will exhibit its technologies at Energy Harvesting 2016*1 at TECHNO-FRONTIER 2016, to be held at Makuhari Messe, Japan (Chiba) from Wednesday, April 20 to Friday, April 22.

NSK has developed an electrolyte*2 with greater transparency than conventional units, thereby making it possible to produce dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) that feature a superior hue, transparency and design. At this exhibition, NSK will introduce a prototype indoor environmental monitoring terminal*3 that utilizes DSSC with superior design as a power source, taking advantage of their power generation function and design flexibility.

*1 Energy Harvesting 2016 is a one-of-a-kind expo in Japan hosted by the Japan Management Association that features technology, products and components related to energy harvesting, in other words environmental power generation which attempts to harvest power through such means such as solar, thermal, electromagnetic waves, vibration, human

*2 Electrolytes carry electrons between the pigment and the electrodes in a DSSC and are therefore an important component that determines the performance of solar cells.

*3 Environmental monitoring terminals detect such environmental items as temperature, humidity, illumination intensity and atmospheric pressure, and then send the related data wirelessly to PCs. Applying energy harvesting elements as a power source for such terminals makes it possible to eliminate cables and batteries, whereby reducing installation and maintenance costs.

Features of DSSC Panel

stered through the development of lubrication technology. It then applied these technologies in the development of DSSC for use as a power source for environmental monitoring terminals. NSK has thus made it possible to produce DSSC panels that provide superior hue, transparency and design.

NSK developed this new electrolyte, which has a greater level of transparency than conventional units, by applying electrochemical technology fostered through its development of core material technology and organic material technology fostered through the development of lubrication technology. It then applied these technologies in the development of electrolyte for DSSC. NSK has thus made it possible to produce DSSC panels that provide superior hue, transparency and design for use as a power source for environmental monitoring terminals.

DSSC panels made with the newly developed electrolyte were exhibited at PV EXPO 2015-The 8th International Photovoltaic Power Generation Expo in February 2015, and at SENSOR EXPO JAPAN 2015 in September 2015. They received positive feedback from many visitors.

Major Exhibits

NSK will exhibit its prototype environmental monitoring terminal, which uses its DSSC featuring superior hue, transparency, and design as a power source.

Image of environmental monitoring terminal using DSSC panel with superior design (Left: Photo of external appearance; Right: Example of installation on wall)
Image of environmental monitoring terminal using DSSC panel with superior design
(Left: Photo of external appearance; Right: Example of installation on wall)

Overview of Exhibition

Name of Exhibition ENERGY HARVESTING 2016
Location Makuhari Messe (Chiba)
Date 10:00-17:00
Wednesday, April 20 to Friday, April 22
NSK Booth Number No. 6B-217 in Hall 6
Official website https://www.jma.or.jp/tf/en/index.html new window

NSK's Commitment to Renewable Energy Technology

As a mechanical components manufacturer, NSK is contributing to the advancement of renewable energy technology by leveraging its Motion & Control technology to develop bearings for use in solar cell manufacturing devices as well as large bearings for wind power. NSK is committed to contributing to the development of a sustainable society by applying its core technology to state-of-the-art renewable energy technologies through the development of bearings and other mechanical components.