EKO President Awarded Medal with Yellow Ribbon
The prestigious 'Medal with Yellow Ribbon' is awarded to people who have made 'significant contributions to society or culture' in Japan; and is conferred to individuals from agriculture, commerce and industry who, through their 'diligence and perseverance while engaging in their professional activities, became public role models'.
President Hasegawa was selected in recognition of his efforts to develop a new type of pyranometer that measures the intensity of solar radiation with industry-leading accuracy and speed, culminating in the launch of the Class A MS-80 Pyranometer in 2016.
Pyranometers are scientific instruments increasingly used worldwide to help site and optimise solar power plants. Pyranometers help operators compare the amount of electricity generated against the intensity of solar radiation.
Before the launch of the MS-80 in 2016, conventional pyranometers could not accurately capture rapid changes in solar radiation. This low, long-term, stability in measurement accuracy made it difficult to monitor the performance of solar panels and arrays, leading to lost power generation, missed issues or anomalies, and higher maintenance costs.
President Hasegawa conceived the MS-80 as a solution to these challenges. A next-generation 'fast-response' pyranometer, the MS-80 measures solar radiation intensity in 0.5 seconds or less, only 1/10th of the time needed by traditional pyranometers. The long-term stability of the MS-80 was also significantly improved over older models, with measurement accuracy rated within ±0.5% over five years.
The unprecedented degree of speed, stability and accuracy achieved by the MS-80 ensured that it was the first top-tier, Class A pyranometer in the world to come with a 5-year warranty and recalibration interval; more than double the 2-year maximum offered with competing sensors.
The MS-80 and its successors, the MS-80S (2019) and MS-80SH (2022), have built on this revolutionary development with added features that further improve the monitoring and management of solar power plants, ensuring more energy is produced at lower cost and helping to support the growth and viability of solar power.
More MS-80 Awards
- 2008, Courageous Management Award, Special Prize
- 2018, Invention Grand Prize, Invention Merit Award
- 2021, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award, Science and Technology Prize (Technology Category)
