Toyota Tsusho Corporation announces that Group company Ene-Vision Co., Ltd. completed the wood biomass Matsuyama Biomass Power Plant in November 2017. The power plant, operated by Ene-Vision subsidiary Ehime Forest Generation, LLC established in January 2015, is scheduled to begin power generation operations in January 2018.

By 2030, the Japanese government plans to raise the ratio of renewable energies in the national energy mix to 22~24%, with 3.7~4.6% of this being generated by biomass fuels (*based on long-term energy supply and demand outlook published by Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry). Biomass power generation utilizes various kinds of materials traditionally disposed of as waste. Wood biomass is one of these materials. It includes wood chips, tree thinning, and other wood scrap produced during forest conservation and management activities like tree-thinning. Wood biomass power generation has the following advantages:

(1) Stable power generation unaffected by wind and other meteorological conditions
(2) Generation of direct employment through new jobs and regional economic vitalization
(Tree-thinning collection and wood chip production required for continual fuel production)　

Matsuyama Biomass Power Plant will use only wood biomass as its fuel, with a planned power output of 12.5MW. The plant’s main fuel source will be easy-to-burn wood chips derived from tree-thinning forest scrap and other unused forest materials from Ehime Prefecture. These chips will be mixed with imported palm kernel shells (PKS). About 70% of Ehime Prefecture’s total land area, or 401,000 hectares, is forested. The power plant will revitalize economic activity and generate new jobs in the local forestry industry and chip production, while promoting collaboration among regional organizations to support the local production and consumption of energy with a low environmental burden.