Kyocera gets Japan environment minister's award for record eighth consecutive year

Tokyo [Japan], Dec.13 (ANI): Kyocera Corporation today announced that its Hokkaido Kitami Plant has received Japan's 2017 Environment Minister's Award for Global Warming Prevention Activity, in the "implementation of countermeasures / dissemination" category.

This represents a record eighth consecutive year that Kyocera has received the award, following many other environment-related honors worldwide - including Mexico's highest award for environmental excellence for two consecutive years, and the City of San Diego's annual recycling award for 17 consecutive years.

Established in 1998 by Japan's Ministry of the Environment, this award is presented every December in observance of Global Warming Prevention Month to individuals and groups that have shown remarkable achievements in the prevention of climate change.

Kyocera's Hokkaido Kitami Plant has 640 kilowatts (kW) of solar power generating capacity, including a 525kW ground-mounted system (left) and a 115kW rooftop system.

Rooftop and ground-mounted solar power systems at Kyocera's Hokkaido Kitami Plant provide a combined 640 kilowatts of generating capacity. The systems generate approximately 787,154 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, enough electricity to power approximately 240 typical households*1 ? while offsetting about 530 tons of CO2 emissions annually.

High-efficiency modular chillers, the plant is promoting energy efficiency through the implementation of new equipment such as modular chillers and LED lights, as well as reusing the exhaust heat from its production equipment such as furnaces or cooling chillers for building/office heating.

In addition, the plant installed heat-exchange equipment to recover the waste heat from hot water used to clean products. As a result of these conservation activities, the Plant has achieved annual energy reductions of about 710 tons of CO2 emission.

Moreover, employees receive ongoing environmental instruction, including how to conserve energy during high-consumption summer and winter months, and how to segregate waste. All education efforts aim to increase employees' environmental awareness and help prevent global warming.

Specially trained Kyocera employees visit local primary schools and provide hands-on "Eco-Lessons" for environmental preservation and energy conservation. In 2017, a total of 441 students took part at eight primary schools in Japan. Other community activities include an eco-event at the Hokkaido Kitami Plant's summer festival and neighborhood clean-up activities for employees.

Past Japan Environment Minister's Awards Received by Kyocera

2010Awarded for high-output solar module (category: technology development / product)

2011Awarded to Shiga Gamo and Shiga Yohkaichi Plants (category: countermeasures)

2012Awarded to Fukushima Tanagura Plant (category: countermeasures)

2013Awarded to Kagoshima Sendai Plant (category: implementation of countermeasures / dissemination)

2014Awarded to Kagoshima Kokubu Plant (category: implementation of countermeasures / dissemination)

2015Awarded to Shiga Yasu Plant (category: implementation of countermeasures / dissemination)

2016Awarded to Kyoto Ayabe Plant (category: implementation of countermeasures / dissemination); and, awarded for the residential-use solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) co-generation system, ENE-FARM Type S (category: technology development / product) (ANI)