NGK INSULATORS, LTD. (hereinafter “NGK”) has received an order from BASF Stationary Energy Storage GmbH (hereinafter “BSES”), a subsidiary of German chemical manufacturer BASF SE for a demonstration project for a decarbonized seawater desalination system in the Republic of Maldives developed by Hitachi Zosen Corporation (hereinafter "Hitachi Zosen").

The NAS batteries will be used in the "Demonstration of a decarbonized seawater desalination system using solar power generation and NAS storage batteries in Maldives," which was selected by Hitachi Zosen under the "Financing Programme to Demonstrate Decarbonization Technology for Realizing Co-Innovation" (*1), a publicly solicited project by the Ministry of Environment. The demonstration project aims to build a decarbonized seawater desalination system that uses solar power and emits no greenhouse gases on Gaafaru Atoll in the Republic of the Maldives. NAS battery was selected for this project because of their environmental resistance and past operational achievements in off-grid (*2) and remote island microgrid (*3) projects globally.

The Republic of Maldives, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, aims to become net zero by 2030 due to concerns about the loss of land due to rising sea levels caused by global warming, and is accelerating the introduction of renewable energy sources such as solar power. The country has also mandated that 30% of the power source for seawater desalination plants, which are indispensable for securing fresh water on remote islands, be derived from renewable energy sources by 2030. By taking advantage of the large capacity and long discharge time of NAS batteries, surplus electricity generated by PV can be stored in NAS batteries and supplied during cloudy days and nighttime, making it possible to effectively utilize renewable energy. Through the stable operation of a decarbonized seawater desalination system using solar energy obtained on any island, the project will contribute to the carbon neutralization of the entire Republic of Maldives.

NGK and BSES established a sales partnership agreement for NAS battery in 2019, and they have expanded NAS battery sales through BASF’s global sales network. NAS batteries are used in applications including renewable energy stabilization and electric power demand and supply balancing in a variety of regions. They have been installed in over 250 locations around the world to date. NGK will continue to partner with BSES to further promote marketing and sales activities for NAS batteries as a large-capacity storage battery with a strong track record, contributing to the expansion of renewable energy introduction and realization of carbon neutrality globally.

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(*1) Financing Programme to Demonstrate Decarbonization Technology for Realizing Co-Innovation：
The financing program which aims to contribute to global environmental conservation by promoting renovation and demonstration of advanced decarbonization technologies to adapt to local specific circumstances of developing countries. Such renovation is expected to address environmental regulations, culture and customs, resource restrictions and the climate in each country. https://gec.jp/category/innovation/

(*2) Off-grid:
A state of being unconnected to the power grid of an electric power company or other entity.

(*3) Micro-grid:
A system in which electricity is produced and consumed locally by means of local power storage facilities and renewable energy sources.

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