Idemitsu to start black pellet output in December

Japanese energy firm Idemitsu is planning to start black pellet production of 120,000 t/yr in Vietnam in December this year.

Idemitsu has already completed construction of the black pellet plant in Vietnam's Binh Dinh province in July 2023 and is now carrying out test operations. The black pellets produced at this plant will be transported to Japan for consumers that include power generation companies operating coal and biomass co-firing. The Vietnamese plant is managed by Idemitsu Green Energy Vietnam, which has become a 100pc subsidiary of Idemitsu in March this year.

Idemitsu is planning to increase its black pellet output to 300,000 t/yr within three years after the start-up of the first plant. It final target is 3mn t/yr by 2030, with an aim to launch projects in Malaysia and Indonesia in addition to Vietnam. The company is also considering empty fruit bunches as feedstock for biomass fuels.

Idemitsu has been carrying out studies of coal and biomass co-firing and confirmed that it is possible to burn 35pc of black pellets with coal. The company has provided utilities with samples for test runs. Black pellets also can be used in other sectors, such as steel mills and cement plants.

Black pellets, which have a higher calorific value compared with typical white pellet biomass, are produced by the torrefaction of acacia and other feedstock. The advanced fuel has better water resistance and grindability than white pellets and can be used in a similar way as coal.

By Takeshi Maeda