June 18, 2008
Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corp.
Asahi Kasei NS Energy Corp.

Utilization of wood biomass fuel for power generation
 
Asahi Kasei NS Energy is advancing an initiative to utilize wood biomass as fuel for power generation at its power plant in Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan. The initiative is part of a wide-ranging effort throughout the Asahi Kasei Group to alleviate the effect of operations on the environment, both locally and globally.

In December 2007 Asahi Kasei NS Energy completed a plant modification to enable the use of wood biomass fuel such as wood chip and wood pellet – manufactured from bark, forest thinnings, wood scrap, and the like – in mixed combustion with coal. The company began performing combustion trials with wood chip in January 2008, and will now additionally perform combustion trials with wood pellet manufactured from unutilized sources of wood biomass such as bark and driftwood. Full-scale continuous mixed combustion with wood biomass fuel is scheduled to begin in August 2008.

The initial target is to use some 10,000 tons of wood biomass fuel per year, which will be approximately 2% by energy content and approximately 3% by weight of fuel consumed. This will result in a 2% reduction in CO2 emissions at Asahi Kasei NS Energy, or a reduction of some 15,000 tons of CO2 per year.
 
Essentials of the power plant
Location: Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan (within grounds of Nobeoka Power Supply Dept. of Asahi Kasei Chemicals)
Start-up: July 2006
Compatible fuels: Coal and wood biomass fuel such as wood chip and wood pellet (wood biomass up to 5% by energy content and 7.5% by weight in mixed combustion)
Capacity: 355 tons/hour steam, 50,000 kW electricity
 
Profile of Asahi Kasei NS Energy Corp.
Head office: Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan
President: Nobuo Nomura
Shareholding: 61% by Asahi Kasei Chemicals, 39% by Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
Establishment: July 2004
Paid-in capital: ¥10 million
 

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