Latest news with #carbonneutrality
Japan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Japan bets on homegrown startups to adapt to a hotter world
Japan is hoping startups can help the fifth-biggest carbon dioxide polluter prepare for and adapt to a warmer world. The Environment Ministry is offering ¥60 billion ($415 million) of support for the commercialization of homegrown climate and environmental technology through the Japan Green Investment Corp. for Carbon Neutrality, a government-backed fund that invests in ventures to reduce emissions. The effort is expected to promote innovations in areas from aquaculture to flood defenses. "We realized that it'd be difficult to address climate issues without embracing the innovation, creativity and free thinking at startups,' State Minister of the Environment Fumiaki Kobayashi said in an interview Wednesday. The program will also offer seed money to startups and promote those that make it to commercialization to overseas markets. The government's role as a potential buyer of these technologies will serve to further accelerate development, according to Kobayashi. The ministry is also working with other agencies such as the Government Pension Investment Fund to direct more money to green-tech startups. "The money we've allocated isn't enough at all,' Kobayashi said regarding the ¥60 billion sum. "The ministry's budget may be extremely small, but the role the Japanese government can play as the consumer of these technologies would be absolutely huge.' Japan remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels for electricity and has struggled to shift to cleaner energy sources or to achieve major progress in industrial decarbonization. The country said in February that it would aim to cut 60% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 from 2013 levels under a revised climate target, a policy seen as falling short of action required to meet Paris Agreement goals. While the latest initiative doesn't directly address how to reduce gas and coal consumption, Kobayashi said the ministry will encourage cooperation between startups and large corporations to address the problem. The ministry also offers investments of as much as ¥500 million to eligible startups and larger companies that are developing technologies that limit emissions. Kobayashi believes climate-tech startups will eventually comprise 10% of Japan-born unicorns. This would be in line with an initiative that was first introduced under former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida three years ago, which outlined an ambitious push to create 100,000 new startups and 100 unicorns by 2027. "The money we spend on our environment shouldn't be considered a cost,' Kobayashi said. "What's important is to think of this as a business opportunity, not just as a problem to solve.'
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Japan Bets on Homegrown Startups to Adapt to a Hotter World
Japan is hoping startups can help the fifth-biggest carbon dioxide polluter prepare for and adapt to a warmer world. The Environment Ministry is offering ¥60 billion ($415 million) of support for the commercialization of homegrown climate and environmental technology through the Japan Green Investment Corp. for Carbon Neutrality, a government-backed fund that invests in ventures to reduce emissions. The effort is expected to promote innovations in aquaculture to flood defenses.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
ThunderSoft Showcases Japan-Focused Smart Vehicle Solutions at Automotive Engineering Exposition 2025 Yokohama
YOKOHAMA, Japan, May 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- May 21–23, 2025, ThunderSoft, a global leader in intelligent automotive software, made its debut at the Automotive Engineering Exposition 2025 Yokohama (Booth No. 2-249), presenting its next-generation smart vehicle solutions tailored for the Japanese market. Under the themes of One-Stop Solution, AI and Advanced Technologies, and Global Enablement, ThunderSoft demonstrated its comprehensive capabilities in helping automakers accelerate carbon neutrality, advance connected car technologies, and drive the scale adoption of Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) in Japan. Company Profile & Global Presence Founded in 2008, ThunderSoft is a globally recognized provider of intelligent operating systems and edge AI technologies. Listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange since 2015, the company operates in more than 40 cities worldwide and employs over 15,000 professionals. Since entering the automotive sector in 2013, ThunderSoft has developed a comprehensive full-stack solution centered on its proprietary AquaDrive OS, a next-generation operating system designed for smart vehicles. The company's solutions span smart cockpits, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), vehicle OS, and high-performance computing (HPC) platforms—powering over 50 million vehicles globally. Solutions Optimized for the Japanese Automotive Market At the expo, ThunderSoft introduced several state-of-the-art technologies designed with Japanese automakers and tier-1 suppliers in mind, attracting significant attention and praise from attendees. ■ AquaDrive OS 1.0 Evo – AI-Native OS for HPC-Based Architectures The AquaDrive OS 1.0 Evo is an AI-native smart cockpit operating system developed on the Qualcomm 8775 4th-generation platform. Officially released in April 2025, the OS has already been adopted by multiple global OEMs. Notably, Toyota showcased a concept vehicle featuring AquaDrive OS at the Shanghai Auto Show earlier this year. Key innovations include: Immersive 3D HMI for an intuitive and engaging user experience Edge–cloud–device AI collaboration for personalized services Modular architecture supporting cross-domain integration Enhanced in- and out-of-vehicle safety through precision vision and AI perception Full compatibility with global ecosystems for streamlined mass production More than just an operating system, AquaDrive OS 1.0 Evo serves as a smart life enabler, seamlessly connecting the car and home to deliver next-generation user experiences. ■ Lightweight ZCU Virtualization Platform – Co-Developed with Renesas Electronics ThunderSoft has partnered with Renesas Electronics to jointly develop a lightweight ZCU virtualization platform, addressing the growing complexity of in-vehicle electronic architectures. Leveraging ThunderSoft's expertise in multi-chip OS integration and Renesas' high-performance MCUs, this platform enables efficient consolidation of multiple functional domains on a single ECU—without compromising performance. This helps OEMs simplify controller design, reduce BOM costs, and enhance system reliability, making it ideal for next-gen domain-centralized vehicle architectures. ■ KanziOne – Next-Generation HMI Development Toolchain KanziOne is a unified HMI development platform that streamlines the entire interface design process from concept to testing. Two featured solutions included: Kanzi for MCUs: Enables efficient 2D/2.5D rendering on low-power embedded MCUs. Already applied in IVI, HVAC, armrest displays, HUDs, and smart keys, it is compatible with Infineon Traveo II and Renesas RH850 platforms—allowing OEMs to standardize HMI designs across vehicle platforms. Kanzi Author with Generative AI: Integrates generative AI technology to automate the design-to-code pipeline. By transforming design sketches into interface structures and generating interaction logic automatically, it significantly boosts speed and flexibility in HMI development. Driving Innovation in Collaboration with Japanese Partners ThunderSoft continues to expand its global innovation footprint while forming deep collaborations with leading automotive OEMs. With a long-term commitment to the Japanese market, the company aims to deliver continuous value and support the global leadership of Japan's mobility industry in both technology and business performance. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE ThunderSoft Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
South China Morning Post
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- South China Morning Post
CATL's EV battery plants to become carbon neutral this year, founder says
Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), the world's largest electric vehicle (EV) battery maker, expects to become carbon neutral this year, burnishing its image as a leading developer of zero-carbon solutions. 'This year, all CATL battery factories will achieve carbon neutrality,' Robin Zeng Yuqun, the firm's billionaire founder and chairman, said before the company's debut on the Hong Kong stock exchange on Tuesday. 'This listing signifies our deeper integration into the global capital markets and marks a new milestone in our mission to drive the global zero-carbon economy.' He said the company would offer its technologies and solutions to its partners globally to promote the transition of conventional sectors like steel, cement and chemicals to clean energy. CATL announced in April 2023 its plan to achieve carbon neutrality in its core operations by 2025 and across the battery value chain by 2035. The company's Zhaoqing plant was the first to be certified as a zero-carbon factory in 2022. It has since achieved this status across a total of four factories. The company's overall carbon emissions fell 34 per cent year on year to 2.1 million tons in 2023, according to its ESG report released in September. Robin Zeng Yuqun, CATL's founder and chairman, at the company's listing ceremony in Hong Kong on Tuesday. Photo: Sun Yeung The company, based in Ningde, in east China's Fujian province, has been aggressively diversifying into a wide range of businesses beyond EV battery production.
South China Morning Post
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- South China Morning Post
CATL's EV battery plants to become carbon neutral this year, CEO Zeng says
Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), the world's largest electric vehicle (EV) battery maker, expects to become carbon neutral this year, burnishing its image as a leading developer of zero-carbon solutions. Advertisement 'This year, all CATL battery factories will achieve carbon neutrality,' Robin Zeng Yuqun, founder and chairman, said before the company's debut on the Hong Kong stock exchange on Tuesday. 'This listing signifies our deeper integration into the global capital markets and marks a new milestone in our mission to drive the global zero-carbon economy.' He said the company would offer its technologies and solutions to its partners globally to promote the transition of conventional sectors like steel, cement and chemicals to clean energy. CATL announced in April 2023 its plan to achieve carbon neutrality in its core operations by 2025 and across the battery value chain by 2035. The company's Zhaoqing plant was the first to be certified as a zero-carbon factory in 2022. It has since achieved this status across a total of four factories. The company's overall carbon emissions fell 34 per cent year on year to 2.1 million tons in 2023, according to its ESG report released in September. Robin Zeng Yuqun, CATL's founder and chairman, at the company's listing ceremony in Hong Kong on Tuesday. Photo: Sun Yeung The company, based in Ningde, in east China's Fujian province, has been aggressively diversifying into a wide range of businesses beyond EV battery production. Advertisement
