'Biomass Nippon': a look at Japan's national bioenergy strategy

Anxious to protect its islands against urban pollution and to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) has launched a national programme to study the potential and promote the use of local bioenergy resources. The project is dubbed 'Biomass Nippon' and aims, for the first time, to analyse the local availability of biomass from all existing economic sectors.

The programme will actively engage in strengthening research capacities (with the establishment of experimental biorefineries), create an institutional structure and carry out policy work to facilitate the use of biomass. Because of their decentralised nature, bioenergy systems are often strongly rooted in local communities. For this reason, a comprehensive social framework will be crafted that will assess the impacts of biomass power generation on these communities.

Background
Japan is the world's most energy efficient society, with an industrial sector that generates fewer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per unit of GDP produced than any other country (earlier post). But the island state wants to go further, because being a highly industrialised country, its total GHG emissions are still quite high and Japan is very dependent on imported energy.

Biomass Nippon, which receives 265 million Yen (€1.6/US$2.1 million) annually, thus aims to contribute to the creation of a low-carbon and 'circular' economy that utilizes renewable resources in a highly efficient manner. The main reasons behind the programme are:

1. the prevention of climate change (to which Japan is highly vulnerable): to promote the use of 'carbon-neutral' biomass which will lead to the replacement of energy and products derived from fossil fuels with alternatives, and thus to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions
2. the creation of a recycling-oriented society: to use limited resources in an effective manner by utilizing renewable biomass, thus accelerating the process of shifting society toward one which develops in a sustainable manner
3. fostering new strategic industries: to restructure the industrial competitiveness of Japan by creating biomass-related industries as a strategic sector that develops new products, uniquely made in Japan
4. activation of agriculture, forestry, and fishery, as well as associated rural communities: the utilisation of national biomass resources will re-activate the primary sector, as well as stimulate the rural communities involved in the sector

Analyses by researchers who are part of the IEA's Bioenergy Task 40 study group - which assesses bioenergy trade, economics and potentials - show that in principle Japan has the smallest long-term (2050) biomass production potential of all global regions. However, the MAFF itself estimates that the country currently has around 1,300 Petajoules of renewable energy embedded in its available biomass resources (graph, click to enlarge). This is equivalent to around 35 billion liters of oil per year (roughly 600,000bpd), or 33 million tons of carbon (equivalent to 3.3 times as much as the total amount of carbon contained in all plastic materials produced in Japan).

Renewable resources
Biomass Nippon distinguishes different kinds of sources from which this biomass can be obtained and has outlined a utilisation scenario for each of them:

1. 'Waste streams': an increased utilization of paper waste, livestock waste, food waste, construction-derived wood residues, black liquor, and sewage sludge can be promoted relatively quickly
2. 'Unused Biomass': by around 2010, the utilization of biomass which has never been used before will become quite visible: unused portions of farm crops such as rice straw or rice husk, and forestry residues left unused at sites will be converted into biofuels and bioproducts
3. 'Dedicated Energy Crops': by around 2020, energy crops will be widely cultivated so that they can be utilized as an energy source and for bioproducts
4. 'New Crops': by around 2050, newly developed crops such as marine plants and genetically modified crops will contribute to an increased production of biomass

　In order to assess the potential of these resources in-depth, Japan has been divided into 9 large regions that will each host a study cell, with a national bureau centralising the data. The national office will then map resources and install 'biomass professionals' in the different regions and per sector (biomass production through forestry and agriculture; conversion into liquid, solid and gaseous fuels and bioproducts...).

Bioconversion strategies
When it comes to strategies to develop technologies to convert biomass into finished products, Biomass Nippon envisions the creation of biorefineries and of a 'cascading' strategy for the use of raw biomass:
energy :: sustainability :: energy independence :: climate change :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: biorefining :: Japan ::

1. Biorefineries: will integrate technologies in a highly efficient manner and result in the production of a diverse range of fuels and useful materials starting from a given stream of raw biomass.
2. Cascading strategy: alongside the development of individual relevant technologies, a 'cascading' (multi-stage) use of biomass is required for the purpose of utilizing biomass resources to the fullest, by using them repeatedly, as many times as possible, from the top end to the bottom in terms of product value, and by burning them at the end of the cascade to generate energy, in as efficient a manner possible.

More specific goals for the materialization of 'Biomass Nippon' consist of setting specific goals for the parties involved so that they can promote the utilization of biomass effectively.

The MAFF will set up certain goals from technological perspectives (energy conversion efficiency, cost target of process equipment/systems, etc.), from the point of view of the local communities (such as an increase in the number of communities which utilize biomass more than a certain level), and also from the nationwide viewpoint (such as posting a clear target level of biomass utilization).
　
Nationwide targets have been proposed as follows: to aim at 80% or higher for the utilization of waste biomass and 25% or higher for 'unused biomass', in terms of their carbon equivalent.
　
Policy, promotion and institutional frameworks
The basic strategies that must make 'Biomass Nippon' a success are divided into several groups, ranging from nation-wide awareness campaigns ('sensitizing the nation', 'boosting local ingenuity'), the creation of clear definitions of the roles taken by various stakeholders (private sector, communities, government) and the design of a negotiation and debating routine amongst the stakeholders. A framework to boost competitiveness within the sector of biomass technologies will be developed as well.

Finally, 'Biomass Nippon' will set up an institutional structure and carry out policy work:

• the establishment of the "Biomass Japan Comprehensive Strategy Promotion Council" in order to facilitate a solid promotion of the relevant strategies.
• the establish a "Biomass Information Headquarters", which works as the central base for information
• to study new laws needed for promoting the Biomass Nippon Strategy
• to undertake research and development for designing a social system in which an efficient utilization of biomass is encouraged, and to conduct a demonstration test for the envisioned outcomes
• to implement a comprehensive package of measures in model communities under a coordinated program headed by relevant government offices

　Revisions of existing legislation for several energy and waste-treatment sectors and products are needed, as well as a new look at current energy production and distribution practises. Biomass Nippon will:

• investigate a handling procedure to be applied to bioplastics as specific procurement items covered by the Green Purchasing Law
• arrange matters so that power generation from biomass can be handled in the same manner as other kinds of new energy under the New Energy Law
• promote the kind of agriculture which is oriented toward environmental conservation
• facilitate power supply by means of locally distributed power sources, including biomass power generation
• undertake quality evaluation of biomass-derived automotive fuels, assess their safety and environmental performance, and conduct driving tests on those fuels as well as evaluate the merits and demerits of their introduction into Japan

More information:
Ecologie Caradisiac: L'empire du Soleil levant embrasse la biomasse - June 15, 2007.

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Outline of the Biomass Nippon Strategy.