Policy / Systems / Technology

October 2, 2012

 

Japanese Companies Established the Japan Association for Microalgae Fuels

Keywords: Environmental Technology Manufacturing industry Non-manufacturing industry 

On June 27, 2012, the three companies jointly announced the establishment of the Japan Association for Microalgae Fuels (JMAF). The sponsoring firms are JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp., a major oil refining company, IHI Corp., a major manufacturer of heavy equipment, and DENSO Corp., a major supplier of automobile components. The association started with 10 private business companies participating.

While global warming is a pressing issue to be addressed, microalgae biofuel, which utilizes renewable biomass resources, is expected to contribute to the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the field of transportation. Therefore, it has been studied throughout the world.

Microalgae biofuel will be able to contribute to the diversification of energy sources and improvement of self-sufficiency. It does not need a dedicated supply infrastructure, as it can be treated in the same way as existing oil products. In addition, microalgae biofuel is, unlike conventional biofuels, able to avoid competition for resources with food production. It rather contributes to food production since extraction residues can be recycled as feedstock.

In order to commercialize the biofuel, however, it is necessary to establish an integrated production system after solving the technical issues of each process, such as, cultivation, oil extraction from microalgae and conversion from oil to fuel. The association was established to tackle these challenges, not only by an alliance of private companies but also All-Japan collaboration of industry-government-academia.

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