LS Strives to Become Smart Grid Leader

LS T-Fair 2010 features an array of new and renewable energy technologies

LS Group Chairman John Koo called for technology exchanges in the R&D sector among subsidiaries and group-wide collaboration. “The industrial paradigm of the 21st century is convergence, and the days have gone when working hard was everything, said Koo at the R&D exhibition, dubbed “LS T-Fair 2010” in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, on Oct. 4.
The chairman stressed that the smart grid will be a future driving force of the group. Smart grid, a combination of the IT and power industries, is forecast to lead the ‘Second Industrial Revolution’ due to its tremendous spill-over effects to the electronics, automobile and other industrial sectors.
Recognizing the significance of the smart grid, the LS group has been devoting itself to fostering smart grid as its leading future business following its spin-off from the LG Group in 2003. Koo emphasized cooperation among subsidiaries to secure a global leadership position in such areas as smart grid and core automotive parts.
Among those on hand at the session were LG Group Chairman Koo, LS Industrial Systems Chairman and CEO Koo Ja-yeop, LS Cable Chairman Christopher Koo and LS-Nikko Copper Chairman Koo Cha-myung.
The exhibition featured technologies developed by the group’s subsidiaries under five themes: environmentally friendly solutions, environmentally friendly materials, environmentally friendly housing environment, new and renewable energy and next-generation transportation means solutions.
LS Group Chairman Koo spent much time looking at the smart grid section. Koo, who has had frequent lunch meetings with LS Industrial Systems researchers, had many questions about the smart grid.
The group demonstrated new and renewable energy technologies including heap pumps using photovoltaic power, wind power and geothermal power. For instance, smart meters developed by LS Industrial Systems can confirm the electricity amounts each household, office and factory consume and their charges at one time. They are designed to operate washing machines and other home appliances through electricity semiconductors at cheaper price hours. Such large-scale energy storage devices as secondary batteries using vanadium instead of those using lithium were on display.
Among the exhibits were automotive parts. The participating executives tested high-speed battery chargers, priced at around 40 million won apiece, that are capable of charging up to 80 percent within 30 minutes.
Daesung, an automotive parts maker acquired by LS Mtron, also participated in the exhibition. Daesung released a smart system designed to start up automobile engines by smartphone and check their conditions. In particular, among the eye-catching technologies were a driver status monitor designed to prevent dozing off at the wheel by recognizing drivers’ eyes and faces and haptic automobile switches for making different vibrations according to different modes.
LS Cable officials said LS subsidiaries own such technologies as control devices essential for electric cars, inverters, cables, lithium-ion capacitors, and they have already secured all core technologies except the exterior of electric cars. LS Industrial Systems also demonstrated wireless battery chargers. They will be commercialized through such handset makers as Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and PanTech.
LS Nikko Copper also showed off the technology to extract such rare metals as lithium, manganese and nickel by reusing dead batteries. nw

LS Group Chairman John Koo looks around the exhibits at the LS T-Fair 2010 in Anyang on Oct. 4.