For a Sustainable Future in Southeast Asia

Digitalisation is playing a key role in power systems and achieving a sustainable energy future in Indonesia. This is especially true in East Java, where Hitachi Energy has delivered a 150kV digital substation to Indonesian utility PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara.

With the digital substation, operators can access real time data about the flow of electricity in the network, making it more stable and resilient. The digital substation also supports Indonesia's transition to a low-carbon future by seamlessly integrating renewable energy into the electricity network.

The Indonesian archipelago is one of the most seismically active regions in the world. Prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, it is also a reservoir of geothermal power resources, at an estimated 40% of the world's geothermal potential. The Indonesian government is planning to tap into this by raising the geothermal share of its fuel mix from 5% to 9.8% in 2027.

To harness geothermal power on Sumatra island, Hitachi Energy will supply a prefabricated substation to connect to the new geothermal power plant near Rantau Dedap. The plant will provide 220MW of carbon-free electricity - enough to power almost 500,000 local homes.

Ibu Kota Nusantara, Indonesia's first smart and eco-friendly city, targets zero emissions by 2040. In March 2024, Phase 1 synchronisation between a solar power plant and the electricity transmission network was successfully implemented. Hitachi Energy supplied Gas Insulated Switchgears and state-of-the-art digitalization to support reliable, sustainable energy delivery.

With close to 50 years in Indonesia, Hitachi Energy brings vast experience and insights into the nation's energy system. Using cutting-edge technology and ASEAN synergies, it supports integration of solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal power—helping IKN drive Indonesia’s energy transition toward becoming a smart, eco-friendly, zero-emission capital city.

Thailand's Ministry of Energy is looking to build a smart grid system for balancing power during power shortage and reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by tapping into renewable energy. To do so, they are using a pilot project as a base for the system, which can accommodate for more sources of renewable energy and improve the operations of its power distribution facilities.

Hitachi will be deploying its demand response management system in this project. Through these IT technologies, Hitachi is able to provide a system that manages demand side, as if they were a single virtual power plant. This allows the system to optimize its power supply and demand balance effectively.

Thailand is aiming for a share of 50% for renewable sources in its power generation capacity by 2037. One possible source of renewable energy is solar power, which is likely to see greater demand in the near future.

To jumpstart this trend, Mitsubishi HC Capital (Thailand) (previously Hitachi Capital), Hitachi Asia (Thailand) and SANTEC collaborated to install solar self-consumption equipment for the Hitachi Group in Thailand, with a target to achieve a power generation capacity of 10MW by 2023. Using this experience, these three companies hope to bring solar power into the mainstream for other companies in Thailand and help to lower greenhouse gas emissions for the country.

E-commerce has led to tremendous growth in Thailand's logistics sector. Such explosive growth has implications for sustainability, as the transport sector accounts for the second largest emission of greenhouse gases.

This is where Hitachi's Vehicle Sharing Service comes into play. With a live-tracking system, it enables companies to find and reserve vehicles for their logistics use. This service will lead to a more optimised logistics system, where there will be lesser empty trucks on Thai roads. This will help to reduce traffic congestions and lower carbon emissions.

The Betong district in Thailand's Yala province is a valley surrounded by mountains, with power lines passing through forested areas. Tree damage often cause interruptions, outages and reduced power quality.

Hitachi Energy stepped up to help by developing an advanced digitally-driven microgrid solution. This will help to identify the root cause of power outages and bring about a secure power network to the region. In addition, it will help to manage power demand, reduce power losses and lower the greenhouse gas emissions.

SCG Cement-Building Materials is a leading manufacturer of cement and building materials. The company has been pushing to increase its operational efficiency and lower its energy usage when it comes to daily manufacturing activities.

At their cement factory in Thung Song, they have integrated Factory Simulator, a component of Hitachi's Lumada. The Factory Simulator will cross-analyse multiple sets of data and develop an optimal production plan for the entire factory, as well as helping to lower energy usage. It will also devise a delivery plan for the company to reduce logistics costs and lower its carbon emissions.

Bangkok is infamous for its traffic congestions, where vehicle exhausts have been causing serious environmental problems in terms of air pollution. Urban planners have turned to advanced transit systems to alleviate its congestion burdens.

One such system is the Bangkok Red Line Project. This project is constructed as a fully elevated rail system, linking Bang Sue Grand Station to the North Line and the West Line. Hitachi, in collaboration with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Sumitomo Corporation, have supplied 25 train sets for this project.

Ho Chi Minh City is plagued by daily traffic congestions, costing the city between US$820 million and US$1.2 billion a year. This has huge implications on air pollution and carbon emissions. Various options such as elevated roads, changing major streets into one-way streets and even banning private vehicles in downtown areas have been considered.

Hitachi is one of main contractors participating in the construction of the first metro line in Ho Chi Minh City. Named Line 1, the metro connects the centre of Ho Chi Minh City with its Northeast gateway. As the first of many, Line 1 will play a critical role in relieving the congestion and help to lower the carbon emissions in the city.

The Philippines is considered a world leader when it comes to renewable energy. However, renewable energy, especially solar power, fluctuates throughout the day. It is vital to look for a way to store the energy so it can be used later.

Hitachi and Manila Electric Company have installed a 2MW battery-energy storage system in Bulacan. Modular and movable in 40ft containers, these batteries offer stability for renewable energy sources. This allows for the management of peak demand and energy, improved service reliability and power quality, and compensates for the intermittency of renewable energy generation.

To improve their power distribution, Meralco built a new 230/115 kV GIS substation in 2008. However, Meralco wants to develop a smart grid with digital substations to make their network safer and easier to maintain.

Hitachi Energy was asked to supply automation systems for the substation. The system pairs state-of-the-art technology with a team of trained and experienced engineers. This allows Meralco an enhanced life cycle management of its substation, as well as reduced operational and maintenance costs.

The Philippine government is aiming for an installed renewable power base of 20GW by 2040. They plan to do so by upgrading the Magat-Santiago transmission line to ensure full dispatch of the Magat hydropower plant in Ramon.

In collaboration with AboitizPower and Scatec, Hitachi Energy will be helping by building a battery storage system, set to go online in 2024. The battery energy storage system has the potential to expand to 24MW and is expected to be used primarily for ancillary services but will also dispatch to the grid at peak times.

New Clark City, a smart city just 80km away from Metro Manila, is tapping into a smart management system to ensure self-sustainability for its power, water and waste management facilities.

To do so, Hitachi is helping to provide a Smart Grid solution, where power distribution will be allocated automatically by channeling extra power to areas with higher demands. Hitachi has prior experience of implementing an Area Energy Management System in Kashiwa-no-ha, a smart city in Japan, which offers efficient use, monitoring, and control of energy in the development.