Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 8:40 PM
ST-05
Domestic biofuel production from herbaceous biomass: Research activities of the Biomass Research Center, NARO, Japan
Ken Tokuyasu, Food Resource Division, National Food Research Institute, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 2-1-12 Kannondai, Tsukuba, 305-8642, Japan
The Japanese government is pushing forward with research on domestic biofuel production for transportation. While the main aim of the domestic biofuel production is to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions, the second aim varies depending on the supporting ministries. The ministry of agriculture, forestry and fisheries (MAFF) promotes research for vitalizing rural areas by sustainable utilization of domestic biomass, whereas the ministry of economy, trade and industry (METI) mainly supports research focusing on energy security and technology exportation. As for bioethanol production, two scenarios: 100 yen/L scenario and 40 yen/L scenario, were stated in 2008 as a report on a plan for development of the innovative technologies, through a collaboration between MAFF and METI.
In order to accelerate research for biomass utilization and construction of “biomass towns” for vitalization of domestic agriculture and other industries, the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) set up the Biomass Research Center (BRC) in 2006. The BRC consists of ca. 220 researchers from north to south, including a General Director and nine research coordinators. Since Fy07, the BRC has started a 5-year MAFF research project (15 million dollars/year), in which process developments for bioethanol production from domestic herbaceous feedstocks [two agricultural wastes (rice straw and wheat straw) and five kinds of energy crops (sugarcane, sweet sorghum, sugar beet, potato, and sweet potato)], according to the 100 yen/L scenario, have been included. In the BRC, the Integrated Research Unit for Agrobiomass Conversion was newly organized in our laboratory in order to facilitate the development.
In order to accelerate research for biomass utilization and construction of “biomass towns” for vitalization of domestic agriculture and other industries, the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) set up the Biomass Research Center (BRC) in 2006. The BRC consists of ca. 220 researchers from north to south, including a General Director and nine research coordinators. Since Fy07, the BRC has started a 5-year MAFF research project (15 million dollars/year), in which process developments for bioethanol production from domestic herbaceous feedstocks [two agricultural wastes (rice straw and wheat straw) and five kinds of energy crops (sugarcane, sweet sorghum, sugar beet, potato, and sweet potato)], according to the 100 yen/L scenario, have been included. In the BRC, the Integrated Research Unit for Agrobiomass Conversion was newly organized in our laboratory in order to facilitate the development.
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See more of The 32nd Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals (April 19-22, 2010)