Toshiba collaboration to construct biomass plant
Toshiba has announced that its consolidated subsidiary, Sigma Power Ariake Corporation (SPAC) has signed a collaboration agreement with Omuta City of Fukuoka Prefecture. The agreement will reinforce Toshiba’s renewable energy generation work by constructing a new biomass plant in Omuta City through SPAC.
The plant is to begin construction in autumn 2019 and operations are expected to start in spring 2022. It will employ approximately 20 people and is set to have an output of 44MW.
Toshiba’s corporate senior vice-president, Fumio Otani, said “We are very happy to sign this collaboration agreement with Omuta City. We aim to promote measures to increase the implementation of renewable energy for a sustainable world.”
The collaboration comes after Japan’s Cabinet implemented the ‘5th Strategic Energy Plan’ last July. The strategy intends to expand the country’s renewable energy ratio in 2030 to between 22% and 24%, to become one of the major power sources in Japan.
Toshiba began operations of coal-based, Mikawa Power Plant in 2005 to generate electricity by co-fired wood biomass and coal. Toshiba has since retrofitted the plant to operate as a biomass plant in 2017.
