Kobelco, Idemitsu to build 6-MW biomass plant in Japan

Nov 11, 2014 - Japanese firms Kobelco Eco-Solutions Co (TYO:6299) and Idemitsu Kosan Co (TYO:5019) intend to build a 6-MW biomass-fired power plant on Japan’s western island of Honshu.

The construction costs for the project are estimated at JPY 4 billion (USD 35m/EUR 28m), Kobelco said in a press release on Tuesday.

The facility will be located at the city of Ono in Fukui prefecture. It will use various wood products as feedstock and is expected to produce enough electricity for about 10,000 homes each year. The plant is scheduled for commissioning in April 2016.

The biomass station will operate under Japan’s feed-in tariff (FiT) scheme. The Asian country launched its FiT regime in the summer of 2012, in a bid to boost the use of renewables and reduce its dependence on nuclear energy. Between July 2012 and end-April 2014, Japan has added 90 MW of biomass power capacity, according to statistics by the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy (ANRE) from August.

(JPY 100 = USD 0.864/EUR 0.696)

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!