ITOCHU Corporation (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Masahiro Okafuji, President & CEO; hereinafter “ITOCHU”) announced today that it is launching a lithium-ion storage battery system for domestic use (hereinafter “the system”) developed and commercialized by NF Corporation (headquartered in Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture; Tsuneo Takahashi, President and Representative Director). The product is scheduled to go on sale from December, 2014 collaborating with ITOCHU ENEX Home-Life companies nationwide through ITOCHU ENEX Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Kenji Okada; hereinafter “ITOCHU ENEX”), which has a strong sales channel for regular households.

Upstream, ITOCHU is involved in the development, manufacture, and marketing of lithium resources projects and major battery components (cathode and anode materials). Downstream, for example in the marketing of the storage battery system, it is promoting the lithium-ion battery business as an eco-friendly business activity, developing a value chain utilizing the group’s network and working to create new value. The addition of an energy storage system for domestic use to the existing portable model and for industrial application launched last year extends our product lineup, responding to diverse customer needs and a range of applications, thereby helping to stabilize Japan’s electricity supply and contributing to the improvement of anti-blackout measures.

Major features of the system

1. Grid connected system with direct connection to distribution board
   • When it senses a power failure, electricity is transmitted automatically inside the home, allowing electrical appliances throughout the home to be used without being limited to electric outlet for specific load.
2. Large capacity and long-term reliability
   • Can provide 7.0 kWh (rating capacity 6.6 kWh) electricity, which is able to cover approximately 60%* of the daily power consumption of an average domestic setting.
   • Employs long lifespan lithium ion batteries (expected 10,000 charge-discharge cycle, over 10 years** of use)
     *Reference value calculated based on average power consumption of 300 kWh per month
     **When charged/discharged once daily at room temperature (23°C)
3. Can be linked to other equipment
   • Can be linked to almost all domestically manufactured photovoltaic power generation systems and some fuel cells (Ene-Farm). By charging surplus electricity generated by solar power during the day and utilizing cheaper night-time electricity stored in the storage battery, electricity costs can be cut and energy used effectively.

Outline specifications

About NF Corporation