Abstract
Utilization of biomass is one of the important challenges faced when attempting to realize low-carbon, sound material-cycle societies. Since biomass is a renewable, carbon-neutral resource, it is able to fix carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis.
In particular, the utilization of biomass from municipal solid waste, such as organic waste materials and post-consumer paper items, is seen to be extremely important and beneficial. It does not compete with food, waste which requires special treatment and recycling within the resource cycle in order to be safe for the environment.
Biomass from municipal solid waste has not, however, been utilized to its full potential due to the fact that it is discharged little by little from many sources, and is also difficult to collect and carry.
Regarding legislation to promote alternative energies and the use of biomass, the Bill on the Promotion of the Use of Non-fossil Energy Sources and Effective Use of Fossil Energy Source Materials by Energy Suppliers and the Basic Law for Promoting the Utilization of Biomass were both approved in 2009.
With this as the background, this paper introduces recent progressive initiatives concerning the utilization of waste biomass by various local governments and regional technology research being conducted in the city of Kyoto.
