Environmental and Economic Evaluation of Systems under the Biomass Town Plan Program

Abstract

The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is furthering the progress of its biomass town plan for the promotion of effective biomass use throughout the country. It has not yet, however, been effective enough. The study, which focuses on environment and economics, has developed an analyses and evaluation for biomass utilization systems in the Kyushu region: Ooki Town, Kobayashi City, and Hita City, all of which are taking part in this Ministry plan. The results are being applied in order to identify if there is a possibility of establishing an effective biomass utilization system in Wakamatsu’s urban area of Kitakyushu City.
Biomass utilization is estimated to annually reduce emission amounts of CO₂ to 3.1, 529.2, and 181.2 CO₂ for Ooki Town, Kobayashi City, and Hita City, respectively. The analysis indicates that the composting of livestock excrement is a very effective way to reduce CO₂ emissions, as long as enough demand for the compost exists in the area. Economic evaluations varied widely for such systems.
A simulation for the Wakamatsu area showed that an amount of 311 tons of CO₂emissions were reduced through the introduction of the biomass utilization system. This implies that biomass can be effectively used even in an urban setting, where only food waste is available as the main biomass resource.