[SDGs-9]Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

EnerCeraChip-type ceramic rechargeable batteries

EnerCeraChip-type ceramic rechargeable batteries

EnerCeraChip-type ceramic rechargeable batteries

Thin, heat-resistant, high-capacity rechargeable batteries to support the worldwide adoption of IoT technologies

NGK's EnerCera thin lithium ion rechargeable batteries deliver high heat resistance and high capacity.
These batteries are ideal for powering sensors and wireless communication units embedded in IoT devices.
EnerCera will power an IoT era in which a wide range of devices connect to the Internet.

Ideas for the future

Next-generation smart cards

Capable of withstanding the high temperatures encountered in card production, ultrathin, heat-resistant EnerCera cells are easily embedded in cards, paving the way for next-generation smart cards with multiple functions, including displays, fingerprint authentication, and communication with smartphones.

[SDGs-9]Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

target 9.1

Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all

The need to power the more than 40 billion IoT devices around the world poses pressing issues.

IoT appears likely to become an important element of the infrastructure supporting our lives in both developed and developing countries. Some 40 billion IoT devices were deployed and in use in 2020; this number is expected to grow still further in the future. NGK powers IoT devices to support the foundations of economic growth worldwide.

Trends in numbers of IoT devices worldwide

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication, White Paper: Information and Communications in Japan (FY2019)
IHS Technology* estimates

*IHS Technology defines IoT devices as devices with fixed IP addresses capable of connecting to the Internet and devices usable as terminals on sensor networks.

[SDGs-7]Affordable and Clean Energy

InsulatorsInsulators for power transmission

InsulatorsInsulators for power transmission

Insulators, our namesake products, support electric power supply worldwide

Insulators play a crucial part in maintaining the safety and stability of our energy lifeline by ensuring that transmission lines and steel towers and equipment are completely isolated. The reliable quality and technological capabilities accumulated since our founding in 1919 support safe, reliable power supply in more than 100 countries around the world.

How NGK's products can help save the world

Compatible with world's highest 1,000 kV-class power transmission

Our name derives from our insulator products, which play key roles in power transmission. Our insulators are compatible with ultra-high voltage power transmission, a technology essential to increasing energy efficiency worldwide. Our reliable technologies deliver power around the world.

[SDGs-7]Affordable and Clean Energy

Affordable and Clean Energy

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy

target 7.3

By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency

With energy consumption expanding worldwide, how can we use energy more efficiently?

Global energy consumption increased by about 2.2-fold from 1971 to 2014. As the global population grows and urbanization advances in emerging markets, energy consumption is expected to rise significantly. Meeting demand with limited resources under these conditions will require improved energy efficiency. NGK is helping to improve energy efficiency by producing insulators to deliver the power generated at power plants to consumers more efficiently.

Trends in global energy consumption

Source: BP statistics for 2019
Primary energy: Energy used as a resource as-is in the form extracted from nature

[SDGs-13]Climate Action

NAS BatteriesThe world's first large-capacity battery energy storage system

NAS BatteriesThe world's first large-capacity battery energy storage system

Energy storage systems for reliable supply of renewable energy

NGK was first in the world to succeed in commercializing NAS battery systems for energy storage offering both long service life and large capacity in a compact design. Generation by solar and wind involves inherent fluctuations, making it unstable. The stabilization made possible by storing renewable energy helps make the world a cleaner place.

How NGK's products can save the world

How can these products lead to the growth of renewable energy?

Renewable energy sources are unstable because they’re affected by the weather. When a large amount of renewable energy is connected to a grid, it might destabilize the grid, which is an obstacle to increased uptake of renewable energy. NAS battery systems can help promote the use of renewable energy by buffering this instability through charging and discharging.

[SDGs-13]Climate Action

Climate Action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

target 13.1

Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by applying the first technology of its kind in the world

Renewable energy is drawing attention as an earth-friendly source of energy thanks to its low levels of CO2 emissions. NAS battery systems, a key solution to realizing stable supply of renewable energy, have already been deployed at more than 200 sites worldwide, where they handle approximately 580 MW/4,000 MWh of electricity (as of January 2020).
Technologies from NGK mitigate the risks posed by climate change to help build sustainable societies.

[SDGs-11]Sustainable Cities and Communities

GaN wafersGallium nitride (GaN) wafers

GaN wafersGallium nitride (GaN) wafers

Materials essential to the semiconductors supporting next-generation devices that will power the future

Wafers are essential to semiconductor manufacturing. NGK's gallium nitride (GaN) wafers help realize high-output and high-efficiency laser light sources, thanks to their original crystal growth technology.
Look out for them in applications such as power devices used in electric vehicles and other products, as well as high-frequency devices used in telecommunications devices.

Technologies to change the future

The power to support 5G wireless behind the scenes

GaN wafers used in semiconductors for high-frequency devices, including 5G wireless base stations and satellite amplifiers.
Improving the performance of high-frequency devices will be key to the adoption of 5G wireless. NGK's technologies are helping to build the future of communications.

[SDGs-11]Sustainable Cities and Communities

Sustainable Cities and Communities

Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

target 11.3

By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries

5G: more than just smartphones

GaN wafers are expected to see wide use in 5G wireless applications. While existing 4G technologies mainly involve smartphones, 5G is expected to help create new social infrastructures by networking various aspects of society. GaN wafers will support the world of the future in areas like mobility and telehealth.

[SDGs-7]Subnano-ceramic membranes A revolutionary separation process

Subnano-ceramic membranesA revolutionary separation process

Subnano-ceramic membranesA revolutionary separation process

Gas separation by molecular sieve technique

Subnano-ceramic membranes* are ceramic filters with micropores smaller than one nanometer.
Molecules in gases can be separated by passing through the micropores in the membrane. This technology is currently drawing attention for its role in a revolutionary separation process based on the molecular sieve technique.

*The term subnano refers to dimensions smaller than one nanometer (one billionth of a meter).

Can we apply the strengths of molecular sieve technique to address energy issues?

Subnano-ceramic membranes

Separation equipment based on the subnano-ceramic membranes is capable of dramatically reducing CO2 emissions at lower cost compared to previous methods. The equipment also has small-footprint and requires less energy. Even under conditions of high pressure and high CO2 concentrations, it also delivers outstanding performance and service life superior to traditional equipment based on polymer membranes.
In natural gas refining, this technology reduces loss in separation to one-tenth achieved with polymer membranes, even in gas fields with high impurity concentration—it is often avoided in the past due to high refining costs. The technology promises to expand energy supply and advance environmental protection.

[SDGs-7]Affordable and Clean Energy

Affordable and Clean Energy

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy

target 7.A

By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology

[SDGs-13]Climate Action

Climate Action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

target 13.1

Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries

Reducing CO2 emissions by separating, capturing, and reusing CO2 in crude oil production

Subnano-ceramic membranes are also expected to find applications in crude oil production.
The crude oil in oil fields accumulates inside tiny openings in rock formations. Primary oil recovery, in which natural energy is used to recover crude oil, typically recovers just 5-25% of it. Even secondary oil recovery, in which water is injected into underground oil strata, recovers only about 30-40% of it.
Carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery (CO2 EOR), a tertiary oil recovery method, further increases oil recovery rates by injecting CO2 into the underground oil strata to reduce the viscosity of the oil.
Subnano-ceramic membranes could be used to separate CO2 in associated gases from oil fields implementing CO2 EOR.
Reports indicate about one-half of the CO2 injected remains sequestered underground. This method is increasingly introduced as a carbon capture and storage (CCS) solution that is a technology to capture CO2 and store it underground.

Source: JOGMEC website "Carbon dioxide (CO2) injection method"

Products paving the way to achieving the SDGs

PM removal filters Eliminating harmful particulate matter (PM)

PM removal filtersEliminating harmful particulate matter (PM)

PM removal filtersEliminating harmful particulate matter (PM)

PM removal filters that clean automotive exhaust

PM removal filters are made of porous ceramics.
Examples of porous materials include sponges or pumices, which contain numerous fine openings. When exhaust gases are passed through a porous ceramic barrier, the fine openings trap harmful particulate matter (PM), allowing only clean gas to pass.

NGK's products help build a brighter future.

Incorporated into highly permeable masks, ceramics can help protect the air we breathe.

In general, smaller pores means filters are less permeable and more resistant to the passage of exhaust, reducing vehicle fuel efficiency. NGK's PM removal filters offer both effective PM capture and outstanding permeability and heat resistance. By achieving both improved fuel efficiency and cleaner exhaust, they help protect air quality.

[SDGs-3]Good Health and Well-Being

Good Health and Well-Being

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

target 3.9

By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.

Drawing on an array of materials and methods to achieve clean exhaust

In addition to PM removal filters that capture harmful particulates, the NGK ceramics used to clean exhaust incorporate Honeyceram to improve the efficiency of the catalysts used to purify harmful hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxide (NOx) and NOx sensors that measure harmful NOx concentrations to assist various controls—reflecting our extensive efforts to find new ways to clean exhaust.

*Diesel Particulate Filters

Envisioning SDGs from 100 years ago

Over the century since its founding, NGK has continued to support the stable supply of electric power.
Over this period, we've deployed businesses to keep our air and water clean and deliver more comfortable lives across the domains of energy, ecology, and electronics.
Most NGK technologies and products make significant contributions to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Up to this point and into the future, NGK will continue to draw on ceramics technologies to deliver new value to help realize sustainable societies.

Value Creation
by the NGK Group

Addressing society’s challenges, developing new areas for growth
Pursuing our vision through investment in growth areas

Megatrends

Megatrends include: Advance of climate change, Change in energy composition, Shift towards EV and FCV, and Innovation in digital

NGK Group Input (Fiscal 2020)

Financial capital

Total assets
909 billion yen
Shareholders’ equity
501.5 billion yen

Manufactured capital

Capital expenditures
50.8 billion yen
Tangible fixed assets
372.2 billion yen

Intellectual capital

R&D expenses
22.4 billion yen
Number of patents held
Japan 3,521
Overseas 4,452

Human capital

Employees
19,695 people

Social and relationship capital

Consolidated subsidiaries
45
Social contribution
activity expenses
296 million yen

Natural capital

Electricity
880,000 MWh
Gas
(natural gas conversion)
116 million Nm3
Oil
(light oil conversion)
1.65 million liters
Raw materials used
140,000 metric tons
Total water usage
3.78 million m3

Business Activities

Description of Business Activities and 5 Transformations

NGK Group Output (Fiscal 2020)

Net sales
452.0 billion yen
Operating income
50.8 billion yen
Net income attributable to
owners of the parent
38.5 billion yen
Return on equity (ROE)
7.9%
Gross profit
123 billion yen
New product*sales ratio
*Within 5 years of commercialization
30%
Employee satisfaction (NGK)
68%
Number of female managers (NGK)
29 people
CSR Procurement Guideline adoption rate
for business partners
99.6%
Overseas students supported

39 students from 5 countries stayed
in company dormitory

Scholarships (non-repayable) for 20 students
from 10 countries

CO2 emission
756,000 metric tons
Discarded materials reduction
3,000 metric tons
Sales growth for products contributing
to environmental protection
(Figures are indexed with fiscal 2013 set at 100)
144
Recycling rate
99.7%

Charting a Course Ahead

NGK Group Vision

A company to contribute to carbon neutrality and digital society
with our unique ceramic technologies

Carbon Neutrality

Making clean energy more efficient
Making mobility clean and safe

Digital Society

Making smart society more comfortable
Making industries innovative

SDGs relevant to our company

Delivering new value and happiness to society:

NGK envisioned the SDGs 100 years ago

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