On May 1, 2024, Ebara Corporation (hereinafter referred to as "Ebara") and Tohoku University (hereinafter referred to as "Tohoku University") established the "Ebara Corporation x Tohoku University Co-Creation Research Institute: Creating the Future with "Flow"" on the Tohoku University Aobayama Campus as a hub for creating new businesses toward building a sustainable society.
Establishment of the "Ebara Corporation x Tohoku University Co-Creation Research Institute: Creating the Future with "Flow""
- Challenging the development of new "trend" technology and its social implementation -
Teruaki Tsukamoto, General Manager, Takuro Ueda, Executive Director, Tohoku University, Kazuhisa Sato, Associate Professor, and Jin Takamura, Professor
1. Background
Recently, social conditions have been changing rapidly, and people's values are changing along with them. There was a time when material wealth was emphasized, but in recent years, interest in environmental and social issues has grown, and values that emphasize spiritual wealth and sustainability are becoming mainstream. In order to respond to these changes in values, as well as changes in the environment and industrial structure typified by carbon neutrality, it is necessary to understand and analyze the "trends" that exist in every aspect of industry and to realize further value creation.
2. Current Initiative
Ebara Corporation and Tohoku University have opened the "Ebara Corporation x Tohoku University Co-Creation Research Institute: Creating the Future with "Flow"" with the aim of creating new businesses and implementing them in society in order to create a sustainable society.
At the Co-Creation Research Institute, we will launch and promote multiple joint research projects in the hydrogen business, for which Ebara is working to create a market in the field of "produce, transport, use," as well as in the area of reducing environmental impact. In the area of hydrogen, the focus will be on the development of green hydrogen technologies. By combining Ebara's water and environmental technological capabilities with the research capabilities of materials engineering, material mechanics, fluid engineering, and thermal engineering conducted by faculty members from multiple graduate schools and research institutes at Tohoku University, we will form the technological foundation for the green hydrogen business and promote product development for social implementation. In the area of reducing environmental impact, we will promote technological development aimed at social implementation and the establishment of a technological foundation by approaching it from all fields of physics, chemistry, materials engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering, with the theme of low-temperature technology development.
3. Co-Creation Research Institute Overview
(1) Name: Ebara Corporation x Tohoku University Co-Creation Research Institute: Creating the Future with “Flow”
(2) Activities:
By combining Ebara's technological capabilities with Tohoku University's research capabilities, we aim to solve social issues and create value.
Taking on the challenge of developing new "trending" technologies and implementing them in society to open up new possibilities for the future
(3) Management Structure:
① Chief Operations Officer
Tohoku University Green Future Creation Organization Green Cross-Tech Research Center
Professor Takuji Sobukawa (Ebara Corporation, CP Hydrogen-related Strategic Business Unit)
②Operational Support Manager
Tohoku University, Green Future Creation Organization, Green Crosstech Research Center/Graduate School of Engineering, Advanced Materials Resilience Research Center
Associate Professor Kazunaga Sato
(4) Location: Tohoku University Aobayama Campus
(5) Installation period: May 1, 2024 to April 30, 2027
4. Future developments
Ebara's long-term vision, "E-Vision 2030," aims to support "an earth-friendly society, social infrastructure that allows people to live safely and securely, and a world where people do not have to worry about water or food," and to "contribute to the creation of a sustainable society."
The EBARA Group aims to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and further enhance its corporate value by addressing key ESG issues based on its long-term vision and medium-term management plan.