Development of disaster prevention and mitigation measures utilizing energy storage systems and communication networks.
- SUSTAINABLE GITES AND
COMMUNITIES
Issue
The increasing risk of large-scale disasters.
Following the Great East Japan Earthquake, the likelihood of large-scale disasters in Japan, such as a Mount Fuji eruption, a major earthquake directly beneath Tokyo, or a Nankai Trough earthquake, has been increasing year by year, making disaster preparedness an urgent priority. During the Great East Japan Earthquake, it is believed that the loss of power leading to communication failures contributed to the escalation of damage and delays in recovery efforts.
Approach
Identification of communication and battery storage functions and proposals for mechanisms to achieve disaster prevention and mitigation.
Based on damage projections for a Nankai Trough earthquake, we analyzed the operability of communication systems over time and the corresponding response activities by local governments. We identified methods for utilizing communication and battery storage systems in disaster prevention and mitigation. By implementing independent energy storage systems that do not rely on the grid and deploying them in combination with communication networks resilient to emergencies, we proposed a framework to enable reliable information transmission, ensuring swift initial responses and sustained recovery support across the community.
Specifically, we explored mechanisms necessary during disasters, such as a “disaster-response energy storage system with communication capabilities” and a “+One emergency network” utilizing 920MHz ad-hoc communication. This network could bypass disconnected access areas and connect to the backbone network, ensuring connectivity even during emergencies.