Reduce / Reuse / Recycle

June 14, 2006

 

Ministry Evaluates National Strategy for Biomass Use

Keywords: Government Reduce / Reuse / Recycle Renewable Energy 

On March 29, 2006, the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries released a comprehensive evaluation report to examine progress made to date with its policies under the Biomass Nippon Strategy, which promotes the nationwide use of biomass, during the base years of 2002 through 2005. According to the evaluation from the nationwide perspective, the overall utilization of waste biomass increased from 68 to 72 percent (carbon equivalent), and the recycling rate of food waste improved from 10 to about 20 percent.

Meanwhile, the utilization of unused biomass such as wood thinned from forests and rice straw remained unchanged at about 20 percent since the launch of the strategy, and the commercial use of energy crops, such as sugarcane and rapeseed, was negligible. From the regional perspective, as of February 2006, 35 municipalities had announced plans for comprehensive and appropriate use of biomass based on the Biomass Town Program. From the technological perspective, the production efficiency of biomass-derived plastics showed a year-on-year increase of 20 percent, exceeding the initial goal of 10 percent.

The report, calls for positive efforts to realize the goals of Biomass Nippon, and suggests five specific actions: promoting reductions in the volume of food waste and greater efforts to sort this waste; enhancing the use of forest residues as unused biomass for product materials and energy sources; realizing the stable and low-cost production of energy crops and cultivating them on abandoned farmland; fostering human resources for the development of the Biomass Town Program; and establishing production systems for biomass-derived plastics similar to those for oil-derived plastics.

On March 31, 2006, the Japanese Cabinet approved a revision of the Biomass Nippon Strategy, with the view that it is important to promote the use of biomass energy for transportation fuels. Other initiatives proposed include acceleration of the Biomass Town Program and the promotion of biomass energy in Asian countries.


- Thirteen 'Biomass Towns' Designated (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/db/1041-e

Posted: 2006/06/14 08:17:42 AM
Japanese version

 

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