Current and future fuel supply for electric power generation plants from woody biomass in Kochi Prefecture, Japan

Abstract

There are two woody biomass electric power generation plants in Kochi Prefecture, one (T) in the central area and the other (G) in the western area. Both started operation in 2015 with output levels of 6 MW, each requiring 70,000 to 90,000 m3 of biomass per year. Using existing documentation and interviews, we assessed their current and future biomass supply opportunities. With some difficulty, plant T has acquired a sufficient supply of biomass from logging residue, primarily due to its location in which mature plantation forests and logging contractors are abundant. In contrast, most woody fuel for plant G was from timber residue such as saw mill timber waste, due to the lack of matured plantation forests in the western part of the prefecture. However, the area has extensive un-utilized broad-leaved forests and a new trial has begun to supply fuel wood from them under forest management plans based on clear cutting regimes and appropriate rotation periods.