Current status and prospects of biomass technologies in Japan

This paper reviews the progress and present status of biomass energy in Japan and introduces the newest research concerning bio-fuels. In addition, the reduction of carbon dioxide is briefly discussed. Japan is obliged under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to about 14 percent below 1990 levels by 2012.?The Japanese gpverment's “Biomass Nippon” (“Nippon” means Japan in Japanese) was established in 2002. The target of this plan is to achieve a sustainable society through general biomass utilization based on market-based efforts. In August 2003, the law for "a warranty on volatile oil" was enacted in Japan. This law permits petrol to contain up to 3% ethanol and in March 2007, B5 (5% BDF blends in diesel oil) was permitted by the revision of this law. Because of the limited experience with ethanol blends and BDF blends in our country, research and experiment under various conditions will be necessary for the future acceptance of these fuels. It will also be necessary to provide information to fuel distributors and retainers, who have not had any experience with these blends.