Japan's first fuel cell power plant that produces biogass from food waste started operation on September 10, 2001 in Port Island district of Kobe City. The facility was built by the Ministry of the Environment as a project to verify the effectiveness of measures to prevent global warming.

Food waste from hotels in Kobe is collected separately from other waste and brought to the facility. When the waste is converted to biogas (primarily methane), the hydrogen is isolated from the biogas and then provided as input to the fuel cells, which then generate electricity.

The facility is capable of handling up to 6 metric tons a day of food waste, which would produce 2,400 kilowatt-hours of electricity. At present, 2 to 3 metric tons of waste are collected each day.



Posted: 2002/08/26 02:34:44 PM
Japanese version

TAG Eco-product/Business , Energy , Global warming , Government , Manufacturing industry , Material reduction , Non-manufacturing industry , Technology