Japan’s 112MW Hibikinada biomass plant in Fukuoka prefecture is set to undergo trial runs in January 2025 as it transitions from coal and biomass co-firing to biomass-only combustion. Owned by Daiwa House Industry, the facility will assess whether emissions from its new biomass operations comply with environmental standards and will evaluate the stable operation of its modified boiler, reported Argus Media.
Construction for the conversion began in April 2024, with fire prevention measures such as nitrogen injection systems already installed. Daiwa plans to resume conversion activities in mid-2025 after analyzing the initial test results, aiming for completion by April 2026. The company anticipates that the plant will produce 980 GWh of electricity annually, with 30% sold under Japan’s feed-in tariff (FiT) scheme. Daiwa is exploring additional sales strategies for the remaining 70%, including long-term power purchase agreements and participation in electricity capacity auctions.
Initially operational as a coal and biomass co-firing plant in February 2019, the facility utilized 70% coal and 30% imported wood pellets. Daiwa acquired the operating company in January 2023 and announced the shift to biomass-only combustion in April 2023, pausing operations in April 2024 for the conversion. Once completed, the plant is expected to consume approximately 450,000 tons of wood pellets annually.
Looking ahead, Daiwa aims to develop over 2,500MW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, encompassing solar, wind, hydro, and biomass generation.
