Tosoh Commences Operation Of Biomass Power Plant

Tosoh Corporation has commenced operation of a biomass power plant at its Nanyo Complex in Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The new facility enables the company to decommission one of its aging in‑house, coal‑fired power plants and is expected to contribute significantly to reducing the Tosoh Group’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

In contrast to the Nanyo Complex’s conventional in‑house power plants, which mainly burn coal, the new biomass power plant can use a variety of fuels. These include woody biomass fuels, such as white pellets, as well as waste‑derived fuels such as wood‑chip construction waste and refuse‑derived paper and plastics‑densified fuel (RPF).^* This approach makes effective use of waste, helps curb fuel conversion costs and GHG emissions, and stabilizes fuel procurement.

This new power plant is a rarity in Japan for its ability to utilize as many as four different fuels. Ultimately, however, Tosoh aims to convert it to dedicated biomass firing, with an eye to annually reducing the Tosoh Group’s GHG emissions by approximately 500,000 metric tons.

The Tosoh Group will continue to advance initiatives to decarbonize the energy and the raw materials it uses to minimize its environmental impact.

^* RPF is a solid fuel made from recovered paper and plastic waste.