Japanese firms to build Fukushima biomass power plant

Market: Biofuels, Biomass
08/03/22

Four Japanese companies are planning to jointly build a 7.1MW biomass power plant at Aizu in the country's northeast Fukushima prefecture, taking advantage of the country's feed-in-tariff (FiT) scheme.

The Aizu Komorebi power plant is scheduled to start commercial operations in December 2024. The project is 40pc owned by Japanese trading firm Tokyo Sangyo, 40pc by engineering firm Tokyo Energy & Systems, 15pc by renewable power developer Shichijo and 5pc by pulp and paper manufacturing firm Hokuetsu.

The plant is designed to burn around 80,000 t/yr of wood chips made from local unused woody biomass and construction wastes. It will pay ¥24/kWh for unused woody biomass and ¥13/kWh for construction wastes under the FIT scheme, according to Shichijo.

Electricity produced at the site will be sold to regional power grid firm Tohoku Electric Power Network at an unknown fixed pricefor 20 years under the FiT scheme.

By Mariko Imai

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14/03/25

New Zealand's Genesis Energy signs wood pellet deal

Sydney, 14 March (Argus) — New Zealand utility Genesis Energy has signed an initial agreement with biomass developer Carbona to study the viability of commercial wood pellet supply to the Huntly Power Station, supporting efforts to transition it from coal-fired power to wood-fired. Carbona is also building a 180,000 t/yr torrefied wood pellet plant in central North Island, it announced on 14 March. The company plans to sell the pellets it produces at the site to major utilities in New Zealand and abroad, beginning in 2028. Genesis-operated Huntly is New Zealand's largest power station, supplying the country's grid with 1,200MW, and currently runs on gas-fired and coal-fired generators. But Genesis has been exploring opportunities to substitute coal with biomass at Huntly over recent years. Genesis signed a non-binding pellet purchase agreement with Australian biomass producer Foresta last month. The utility at that time said that it would need 300,000 t/yr of torrefied wood pellets by 2028 to achieve its coal reduction goals. Carbona's deal with Genesis also comes just days after the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment released data showing that coal and gas-fired electricity generation across New Zealand collapsed in the October-December 2024 quarter , dropping by 42pc on the year. By Avinash Govind Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Malaysia’s PKS exports fall in 2024, wood pellets rise

13/03/25

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13/03/25

Malaysia’s PKS exports fall in 2024, wood pellets rise

Singapore, 13 March (Argus) — Malaysia's total PKS exports stood at 1.27mn t in 2024, down from 1.33mn t in 2023 because of lower demand from Japan and Thailand as well as heavy rain that affected crude palm oil (CPO) output and PKS availability. Malaysia exported 118,000t of PKS in December, down by 32pc from a year earlier, and 20pc lower than 148,000t in the previous month, according to GTT customs data. This is because of lower demand from Thailand, with Japanese demand levels rising slightly on the month in December. But Japanese demand dropped on the year in 2024, because of outages at several power plants following fire incidents, with longer maintenance periods capping PKS consumption in early 2024. But demand picked up after August 2024, and this was reflected in prices. Argus assessed prices for PKS fob Malaysia compliant with Japan's feed-in-tariff (FiT) at $94.63/t on 24 December, up from $83.92/t on 28 August. Argus last assessed the price at $95/t on 5 March this year. The country shipped 117,000t of PKS to Japan in December, down by 7.5pc from 126,000t a year earlier and higher by 10pc from 107,000t in November. Japan was the top export destination for PKS, accounting for 99pc of Malaysia's total exports in December. Shipments to Thailand stood at 829t in December, down by 98pc from 47,200t a year earlier, and 63pc lower from November. Wood pellets Total wood pellet exports from Malaysia were at 1.13mn t in 2024, rising by 31pc from 2023. Malaysia exported 143,000t of wood pellets in December 2024, 28pc higher from 111,000t a year earlier but lower by 10pc from 159,000t in November 2024, according to GTT customs data. The increase in shipments comes as top wood pellet-consuming countries like South Korea and Japan look to diversify their sources, especially as prices of pellets from key supplier Vietnam have continued to increase. Argus assessed the fob Vietnam to South Korea market at $131.63/t on 5 March from $122.19/t on 4 December, with the fob Vietnam to Japan market also climbing to $144/t from $134.83/t over the same period. Japan accounted for 39pc of the country's wood pellet exports in December. Malaysian wood pellet shipments to Japan stood at 56,000t in December, almost tripling from 19,800t a year earlier, but 39pc lower than 91,700t in November. Malaysian shipments of wood pellets to South Korea stood at 26,400t in December, more than doubling on the year but down by 31pc on the month. Shipments to South Korea accounted for 19pc of Malaysia's total wood pellet exports in December. There was a significant volume of wood pellets shipped to the Netherlands in December, with one cargo of 60,000t. This shipment made up 42pc of Malaysia's pellet exports in December. By Joshua Sim Malaysia's biomass exports in December 2024 t Quantity on month (%) on year (%) PKS Japan 117,367 10.2 -7.5 Thailand 829 -62.8 -98.2 Total 118,196 -20.4 -32.1 Wood pellets Netherlands 60,000 na -23.9 Japan 56,067 -38.8 182.8 South Korea 26,440 -31.4 133.8 Total 142,682 -10.5 28.3 Source: GTT Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Japan’s MGC to fund US biomass-based plastic start-up

13/03/25

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13/03/25

Japan’s MGC to fund US biomass-based plastic start-up

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Northwest European renewable fuel ticket prices rise

12/03/25

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12/03/25

Northwest European renewable fuel ticket prices rise

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Brazil refinery to produce fuel from eucalypt

11/03/25

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11/03/25

Brazil refinery to produce fuel from eucalypt

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