Amid rising demand during the dry season and the risk of power plant outages, concerns are mounting in the Philippines over tight electricity supplies. The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has noted that prices on the Wholesale Electricity Supply Market (WESM) could increase by approximately 4 pesos per kWh.

This increase is due to a combination of factors, including high temperatures, the shutdown of some power plants, and rising fuel costs.

These conditions are also causing instability in the power supply at the regional level. For instance, Boracay’s supply capacity has not kept pace with the surge in electricity demand fueled by the tourism recovery, prompting the use of generators in some areas. Although transmission operators aim to avoid power outages through future infrastructure improvements, reliance on backup power sources continues to some extent.

Overall, the Philippine power system is in a precarious state, caught between rising demand and supply constraints. This environment creates a structure that drives up electricity costs and encourages the use of alternative power sources, such as generators.

Source: BusinessMirror, The Manila Times

PSR Analysis: What is noteworthy about this news is not the existence of the generators themselves, but rather, the manifestation of power shortages as price increases, which directly influence demand-side behavior. Generators have been used during supply shortages in the past. However, the confirmation of their use at the same time as the projected rise in WESM prices indicates that we have entered a phase where both electricity costs and supply risks are recognized simultaneously.

Of particular importance is the fact that the grid’s supply capacity is insufficient to handle even relatively predictable factors, such as the recovery of tourism demand coinciding with dry-season demand.

Under these circumstances, demand-side actors may increasingly take proactive steps to supplement their power supply, rather than passively receiving electricity based on costs and supply conditions. Though still limited in scope, in an environment where electricity price fluctuations and supply concerns occur simultaneously, this can be interpreted as a sign that generators’ role is expanding from “emergency use” to “part of supply-demand adjustment.” PSR

Akihiro Komuro is Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia, at Power Systems Research

EcoFlow Technology Japan has announced that it launched its new “DELTA 3 2000 Air” portable power station. Positioned in the 2kWh class, the new unit combines 1,920Wh of storage capacity with a lightweight design aimed at improving portability for household backup power, vehicle use and outdoor applications. The company simultaneously released a 220W lightweight bifacial solar panel using TOPCon cells, presenting the products as a combined solution for improving energy self-sufficiency during outages and off-grid use.

Despite its relatively compact dimensions of 220 × 223 × 426 mm, the DELTA 3 2000 Air offers rated output of 1,000W with 1,500W surge capacity and dual AC outlets. EcoFlow says the unit can support essential appliances such as refrigerators, lighting, notebook PCs and communications equipment during blackouts. The product uses lithium iron phosphate batteries and is rated for about 3,000 charge-discharge cycles while retaining 70% capacity, underscoring its positioning as a long-life backup power device rather than a short-term consumer gadget.

The company also highlighted disaster-preparedness and business continuity planning (BCP) applications, noting that the system can be used for communications backup, temporary server protection and auxiliary power for medical devices in homes and small offices. Its flat handle and compact form factor are intended to make storage easier in limited spaces such as under car seats or in narrow household gaps. The newly launched 220W bifacial solar panel, weighing approximately 5.1 kg, is designed to complement the power station by enabling more autonomous power supply in disaster or outdoor settings.

Source: PR TIMES

PSR Analysis: What matters here is not simply that EcoFlow introduced another portable power station, but that the center of gravity in Japan’s backup-power market is shifting.

For years, portable generators defined emergency preparedness because they were the only realistic way to secure multi-day electricity during disasters. Now, high-capacity batteries are increasingly becoming the first product consumers buy, while engine-driven generators are being repositioned as a secondary runtime extender rather than the primary power source.

That is an important structural change. It means competition is no longer just about output or price, but about where each product sits in the household resilience stack: batteries for immediate indoor use, solar for supplemental charging, and generators for endurance once outages stretch beyond one day. In a market like Japan, where apartment living, noise sensitivity and neighborhood constraints are unusually strong, that hierarchy matters more than it would in North America or other generator-heavy markets.

The deeper implication for the power equipment industry is that this trend does not eliminate small engines, but changes the specifications under which they remain valuable. Standalone generators will gradually lose appeal in urban consumer channels, while quieter inverter units, auto-start capability, cleaner exhaust management and integration with battery systems will become more important.

In other words, the winning products may not be pure battery systems or pure generators, but hybrid ecosystems that reduce the inconvenience of engines while preserving their unique advantage: energy security as long as fuel is available.

For Japanese manufacturers, that suggests the competitive battleground is moving from simple hardware sales toward system design, usability and control logic. The companies that understand this early will be better positioned as disaster preparedness evolves from a seasonal retail category into a semi-essential household infrastructure segment. PSR

Akihiro Komuro is Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia, for Power Systems Research

Unlike a standalone portable power station, which becomes unusable once its battery runs out, or a standalone generator, which is difficult to use at night or in residential areas due to its outdoor nature, this hybrid system can store electricity generated by the generator in the portable power station. This enables quiet indoor use as needed. When the portable power source’s charge falls below a certain level, the generator automatically starts and shuts off once the unit is fully charged. This feature provides a long-term power supply without the need for cumbersome operation and supports household appliances such as refrigerators and heating equipment. The system also features a CO sensor and a safety function that automatically stops the generator during improper use. This system is expected to enhance household peace of mind in preparation for prolonged power outages caused by an increase in natural disasters in Japan.

Source: KOSHIN     Read The Article

PSR Analysis: First, I am struck by Koshin’s sharp perspective on “practical power outage countermeasures.” The company deserves credit for integrating these solutions through “automatic coordination” rather than “selective use.” Portable power stations are quiet and suitable for indoor use, but they have limited capacity. Inverter generators have an extended runtime, but they are noisy and produce exhaust.

Noteworthy is the mechanism that automatically starts the generator when power reserves are low and shuts it down once charging is complete. This design significantly reduces the psychological and operational burdens during disasters. Furthermore, the inclusion of a CO sensor demonstrates the company’s expertise as a generator manufacturer and its commitment to safety.

In discussions where renewable energy and large-scale batteries are often presented as ideal solutions, Koshin’s philosophy of supplying reliable power as long as fuel is available is extremely practical, especially considering Japan’s disaster characteristics.

Although challenges like pricing and fuel management remain, I believe this is a highly refined solution to the problem of how to survive power outages lasting several days to a week. Although explosive sales growth isn’t expected, there is undoubtedly a demand for such products. PSR

Akihiro Komuro is Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia, for Power Systems Research

Kawasaki Heavy Industries has launched a generator engine that runs on a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen. It can operate using a hydrogen blend of up to 30% by volume relative to natural gas. This is the world’s first product of its kind to be launched.

The newly launched ‘Hydrogen-Blended Gas Engine’ is based on existing natural gas-fueled power generation engines. Due to the explosion risk posed by hydrogen, it is equipped with safety devices and mechanisms to remove residual hydrogen from piping. The engine can also run on a fuel blend of city gas and hydrogen.

When blended with 30% hydrogen, an 18-cylinder model operating at 50 Hz has a power output of 7,800 kilowatts. Kawasaki Heavy Industries is expanding its product range to include hydrogen supply network products.

Source: The Nikkei

PSR Analysis: Using existing natural gas power generation facilities while transitioning to hydrogen utilization is expected to reduce customer investment risk. This approach is likely to attract the attention of infrastructure companies and local governments in domestic and international energy transition markets, particularly in Asia and Europe. It aligns with Japan’s policy of promoting a ‘hydrogen society’, and its adoption in public projects is anticipated.

However, resolving challenges in the fuel supply network, such as hydrogen cost and stable procurement, will be key to the speed of adoption.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries will enhance its brand value across the entire shipbuilding, power generation and hydrogen supply chains, thereby strengthening its position as a comprehensive energy company. In the medium to long term, market expansion is anticipated as a stepping stone towards full hydrogen combustion. PSR

Akihiro Komuro is Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia, for Power Systems Research

Hitachi Energy has successfully deployed its first-ever customer HyFlex hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) generator in Rotterdam, Netherlands, where the generator will replace an equivalent diesel generator producing 500-kilovolt-amperes (kVA). In doing so, the HyFlex-powered construction site could save as much as 200,000 gallons of diesel fuel per year, and reduce the company’s carbon-dioxide emissions by about 2,900 tons

Hitachi plans to have a full zero-emission “ecosystem” on display at the pilot site, with plans to deploy similar low carbon ecosystems in noise-and pollution-sensitive areas like hospitals, critical data centers, disaster relief efforts, or shore-to-ship power applications

Source: Electrek: Read The Article

PSR Analysis. Most Hydrogen is not readily available except as a byproduct of fossil fuels. So, it might be misleading to call this a clean power source depending on the source of the hydrogen, and the question remains about how readily available is the hydrogen.   PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast and Technology Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

Komatsu has announced the development of a hydrogen-powered generator that will be used to power an electric mini excavator. It can be transported to the job site, allowing electric construction equipment to be used in places where there is no electric power infrastructure. The system will be tested at customer sites by September 2024.

The generator was developed in cooperation with DENYO. The generator is 3.1 meters long, 1.1 meters wide and 1.7 meters high. It generates electricity by mixing up to 40% hydrogen with light oil. HVO fuel (hydrogenated vegetable oil), a type of biofuel made from waste cooking oil, can also be used.

Komatsu has developed hydrogen-blended combustion power generators for use in on-site power generation at factories and other facilities. The company sells seven types of electric construction equipment but is unable to supply power to sites where there are no power distribution networks, so it has been working to commercialize an electric power supply infrastructure.

Source: The Nikkei

PSR Analysis:  The short operating time of electric construction equipment is a major problem, and in many cases, diesel generators are brought to job sites and operated while the batteries are being recharged. Under these conditions, it is difficult to achieve the goal of reducing CO2 emissions.

Even generators that can use hydrogen or HVO fuel cannot reduce CO2 emissions to zero, but they are making progress. As more of these devices enter the market, it is expected that the number of situations in which they will be used will increase.

There are three major issues that need to be addressed for the future use of hydrogen on construction sites. The first is to increase the number of sites where hydrogen is available. Currently, the number of places where hydrogen can be refueled is very small compared to gas stations. This is not a situation that Komatsu can solve on its own. A long-term plan is needed, including regulatory improvements.

The second issue is CO2 emissions from hydrogen production. At present, the amount of hydrogen that can be produced from water and air is limited and still at an experimental level. Most of the hydrogen used in various industries today is produced by combustion, which emits large amounts of CO2 during hydrogen production. Hydrogen is considered clean energy only in terms of CO2 emissions from hydrogen combustion, and CO2 emissions from hydrogen production will be considered in the future.

The third is cost. Compared with light oil, hydrogen is more expensive. The phase of popularization will not begin until the price of hydrogen becomes competitive.

All these issues require a great deal of effort and time to resolve, and widespread adoption is still a long way off. However, efforts to develop such products should continue, and only a limited number of manufacturers can make such efforts. Komatsu has an important role to play in determining how much hydrogen will be used in the construction equipment world in the future. PSR

Akihiro Komuro is Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia, for Power Systems Research

Komatsu, Hitachi, and Denyo announced the commercialization of a gen-set that uses a mixture of hydrogen and light oil as fuel. It is possible to mix up to 50% hydrogen, which does not emit CO2 when burned, and CO2 emissions can be reduced by 50%.

The first unit will be installed at Komatsu’s Oyama Plant, with full operation scheduled for the end of September. Hitachi will serve as the point of contact for the system, which will be marketed to a wide range of external customers.

The system can mix up to 50% hydrogen with diesel engines that use diesel oil. The power output is 250 kW. Komatsu and Hitachi provided the fuel injection control technology and the function to safely stop the engine in case of abnormal combustion, respectively, and Denyo assembled them into the generator.

Hitachi and Denyo have been developing this technology since 2018, while the three companies, including Komatsu, have been working on it since 2021.

Source: The Nikkei

PSR Analysis: Hydrogen burns very quickly. It also has high-temperature properties, and its high temperature makes it difficult to co-fire with diesel oil due to higher NOx emissions compared to diesel.

This generator was exhibited at the Construction Machinery Exhibition held in Osaka in June, but at that time it was not allowed to be photographed or featured in articles because it had not yet been publicly announced.

In the field of generators, there are also demands for CO2 reduction and improved environmental resistance, but the biggest challenge is cost.

At present, both initial and operating costs are well below those of existing diesel generators. In the case of hydrogen, there are still no environmental arrangements for refueling, and trials are likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

Funding in this area is limited to companies that have the capital strength to withstand the large investment and the time it will take to recoup the investment, which is likely to be several decades.   PSR

Akihiro Komuro is Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia, for Power Systems Research

We can provide you with power gen-set population, companies, engine, gen-set and address

Power Systems Research is one of the leading sources of gen-set population data in Brazil.

From continuous research of import, export, production and sales of Power Gen Sets in Brazil, studies performed since 2015 PSR could gather valuable information about Power Gen Sets in Brazil that give customers unique knowledge of the Market for spare parts Market planning and commercial strategy.

• Gen Sets Population size, with brand, model and engine details and main characteristics.
• More than 1.000 records (brand, model, characteristics) of Gen Sets between 50kVA and 500kVA and over 500 records above 500kVA with the quantity of generators in each record.
• List of over 2.900 Generation Stations with the total of 40 GW
• Fuel: Diesel, Natural Gas, Others
• Profile of more than 30 companies among the biggest populations, owing over 15.000 gen sets.
• Data of 1.000 companies with big Gen Sets (Above 500 kVA, with localization information.
• Detailed access to information of these companies.
• Population informed by Production year in the last 14 years.
• Above 140.000 Diesel Gen Sets with respective 40 GW
• Gen Set Application Information
• Region: Brazil

Contact us and increase your sales. PSR

Fabio Ferraresi is Director of Business Development-South America for Power Systems Research

Semiconductors help power everything from your phone to your car. Here’s what to know about the major supply chain problem.

There are chips in nearly everything electric you own, from your phone to your computer to your car. There are even chips in items you wouldn’t expect, such as your washing machine, electric toothbrush, and refrigerator. But these tiny parts that power so much of our lives are now in critically short supply.

“Right now we have a global supply chain in crisis,” says Patrick Penfield, a professor of supply chain practice at Syracuse University. “We’ve just never ever seen anything of this magnitude impact us before.”

What are these chips?

These chips are the lifeblood of modern society, but even before the pandemic, demand for them exceeded supply. This year, economist Rory Green called semiconductors “the new oil,” pointing out that Taiwan and Korea control the lion’s share of chip production today.

But while these chips were an American invention, the number of US manufacturers currently creating them has declined severely. In 1990, 37% of chips were made in America, says James Lewis, senior vice president and director of CSIS’s Strategic Technologies Program. By 2020, that number was only 12%.

What is the chip shortage?

As the world shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many factories closed at the same time, making the supplies needed for chip manufacturing unavailable for months. Increased demand for consumer electronics caused shifts that rippled up the supply chain.

Orders began to pile up as manufacturers struggled to create enough chips to meet the new levels of demand. A backlog began to grow and grow and grow.

Car companies, like Ford, have to predict the amount of chips they will need to produce their cars and order them in advance from one of the chip manufacturers. As of now, it can take at least half of a year for a chip order to come in, says Penfield. The current demand for chips is so great that manufacturers can’t make enough chips to meet it at this time, meaning consumers will soon be seeing higher prices for fewer goods.

But the issue wasn’t just with manufacturing. As COVID made its way through Asia, ports shut down, sometimes for months. Some 90% of the world’s electronics go through China’s Yantian port, and it was recently closed, leaving hundreds of container ships waiting to dock.

What caused the chip shortage?

Bad decisions by the auto industry also added to the shortage. When COVID started, many companies canceled their orders for chips because they assumed the economy was about to take a lengthy hit, says Lewis​​. Car companies in particular cancelled orders, so chip companies switched to making chips for consumer products, attempting to meet the explosive demand caused by the pandemic. Having retooled their plants to make chips for consumer goods instead of cars, a shortage of car chips ensued.

There aren’t many chip manufacturing plants in the world, and the few that were running during the pandemic were subject to a series of unlucky weather events that delayed the manufacturing process further.

Japan’s Renesas plant, which creates almost one-third of the chips used in cars around the world, was severely damaged by a fire, while winter storms in Texas forced some of America’s only chip plants to halt production. Producing these chips also requires a lot of water, and severe drought in Taiwan has also affected production.

Does China play a role?

While geopolitical concerns are not the main cause of this chip shortage, one ongoing concern is Taiwan’s tense relationship with China. Taiwan is the world’s leading chip producer, and the theoretical possibility of war between China and Taiwan puts American access to the chip industry in potential jeopardy and could be catastrophic for many industries that would be unable to get the chips they rely on.

“China is deeply tempted to just seize Taiwan,” says Lewis. “The Chinese are desperate to have their own chip industry. It’s become a focal point for the competition between the US and China.”

American chip manufacturer Intel has announced plans to scale up their chip production, while ​​Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co and Samsung eye locations for the American factories they plan to build. But while these plans are promising, it will take years before these factories can ramp up their production levels.

What are the effects of the shortage?

The auto industry is getting hit hard, with estimates saying US manufacturers will make at least 1.5 to 5 million fewer cars this year. Ford and General Motors have already limited production. Tesla revised its own software to support alternative chips to maintain its production levels.

When will the issue be resolved?

Opinions on when the shortage will end vary. The CEO of chipmaker STMicro estimated that the shortage will end by early 2023. The CEO of automaker Stellantis said that the shortage “is going to drag into ’22, easy.” Intel CEO Patrick Gelsinger said the shortage could last two more years.

“We’ve probably got about nine, 10 months of this to live through,” says Lewis. “If you can afford to wait, prices will go down.”

Source: Popular Science (By Shira Feder)                  Read The Article

PSR Analysis: PSR has devoted considerable time the past 12 months to examining the fragility of the global supply chain.  We have addressed the topic in webinars, podcasts, and PowerTALK articles as well as in the quarterly Update Bulletins we send to our data license subscribers. 

A central topic in the supply chain issue is the severe shortage of semiconductors.  In this article, Shira Feder has provided an excellent overview of the issues facing the automotive industry, as well as all industries which now depend on microchips to function.  Citing a combination of lagging demand due to COVID, misfortune, sheer bad luck, poor planning, geopolitical factors and disasters – both man-made and natural, this article reenforces the need to diversify supply chains. 

As fleet electrification expands and autonomous drive technologies progress, the demand for microchips will intensify.  Two geographically small countries which punch well above their weight class – Taiwan and South Korea – will continue to be key players moving forward.  The US has done well to engage both in working to find solutions, but these will take time to realize.  All the more reason for governments to examine what they need to do to either develop manufacturing at home or develop and maintain close relationships with stable and reliable partners. PSR

Erik Martin is Director – Asia Region, for Power Systems Research

Today, Bitcoin consumes as much energy as a small country. This certainly sounds alarming, but the reality is a little more complex.

Our clients design and build generators installed for data centers, factories, distribution centers, commercial buildings, office buildings, grocery stores, and banks for emergency backup, peak shaving, or continuous power.  Bitcoin miners utilize data centers for housing and managing their data (server) farms.  

Bitcoin is a digital currency powered by many computers worldwide working to maintain the Bitcoin blockchain, a public database of all transactions on the network ever made. Bitcoin miners compete to officially record and verify the transaction and earn bitcoin as a reward. These transactions are verified by solving complex cryptographic and mathematical problems for which Bitcoin miners use a lot of power. The computers that record and verify Bitcoin transactions consume power at a level similar to some countries.  The exact amount of energy used by a Bitcoin transaction can vary based on demand.

Cryptocurrency Mining Farm

The environmental impact of the Bitcoin network depends on power consumption, the kind of energy powering the network, and the electronic waste it generates. The four main factors in how much electricity a Bitcoin miner uses are; hardware computing power, network hash rate, mining difficulty, and thermal regulation for the hardware.  Together, they use more electricity than many countries. The more powerful computers may also require more power off the electricity grid, making the entire mining network a giant energy hog.

The cryptocurrency equipment required for Bitcoin mining cannot be recycled for different applications. Some mining equipment components also include aluminum, copper, iron, and rare earth metals. These generate massive amounts of electronic waste in the form of computer hardware. Some researchers believe that less than ideal recycling and waste collection in countries that have large mining operations could create a risk of toxic metals polluting the soil, water, and air in those countries.

With upgrades to the cryptocurrency landscape, including the addition of more efficient currencies and upgrades to existing networks, it may be possible to find the best of both worlds at some point in the future, with energy-efficient cryptocurrencies powered by renewable electricity.

For today, however, mining bitcoin has a high environmental and energy cost; as our clients migrate into the complex world of IoT, they’ll need to consider the challenges of managing the cryptocurrency market.  PSR

John Krzesicki is Business Development Manager at Power Systems Research