Eco-business / Social Venture

June 10, 2013

 

Japanese Company Launches Newly Developed Rice Husk Fuel Machine

Keywords: Eco-business / Social Venture Manufacturing industry 

JFS/Japanese Company Launches Newly Developed Rice Husk Fuel Machine JFS/Japanese Company Launches Newly Developed Rice Husk Fuel Machine
Copyright Tromso Co.


Tromso Co., based in Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan, developed a process for preparing non-fossil, solid fuel, called Momigalite, using rice husks, and in the fall of 2008, started selling the Momigalite manufacturing machine. The machine, known as a Grind Mill, grinds rice husks, and then compresses them to yield solid fuel. Because of these activities, Tromso has been recognized as a pioneering company in new business fields by Hiroshima Prefecture.

Momigalite, which is resistant to moisture, and is able to maintain its shape and quality for long periods, provided that it is kept dry. It can therefore be stored for use during disasters and emergencies, in addition to its typical use as biomass fuel. Momigalite has the following features: 

(1) It can be easily and safely ignited,
(2) Its emissions are much cleaner than those of fossil fuels,
(3) It burns with a flame, which is able to keep many people warm,
(4) It releases about 4,000 kilocalories of heat during combustion, and burns several times longer than firewood,
(5) Its use contributes to the conservation of forests, and
(6) Its ashes can be recycled as a soil conditioner.

Momigalite is made of 100 percent rice husks, which are otherwise discarded as agricultural waste. In Japan, about two million tons of rice husks are produced every year. Momigalite is an environmentally friendly fuel that emits neither nitrogen oxides nor sulfur oxides when burned. It is also expected to adsorb endocrine disruptors. Furthermore, rice husks are readily available in rice-producing areas; thus Momigalite can promote the concept of "local production for local consumption."

Related JFS article:
Japanese NPO Launches Pellet Stove Rental Business to Encourage Biomass Use

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