Abstract
In Japan, forest thinning residues as woody biomass have potential to increase domestic primary energy supply, because there still remain many conifer plantations where thinning is not carried out. However, taking the reduction in carbon stock in forests into account, the additional thinning for energy supply may not contribute to the reduction in CO2 emission. Considering the change in the carbon stock in forests, this paper discusses the potential of reduction in CO2 emission by biomass power generation with thinning residues. As power generation systems with thinning residues, co-firing with coal in a utility's power station and a molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) with gasification system are taken into account. The results suggest that the co-firing of woody biomass supplied by the additional thinning at utilities' coal-fired power stations has a potential for reducing overall CO2 emission.
