On August 26, Sanuki Plant (Sakaide city, Kagawa Pref.) of Nihon Kaisui of the Air Water’s group engaging in the salt producing business decided to build up a new woody biomass power generation plant, and is going to start construction under the subsidy for energy saving contribution planned for starting operation in 2028.   

Nihon Kaisui which boasts a 40% share in the salt producing industry has output capacity of 400,000 tons including those for operation. In the salt production, the sea water boiling process requires so much electricity and vapor that the plant is equipped with large-scaled thermal power generating facilities. In Sanuki Plant has a coal-fired power generator which used to discharge about 130,000 tons of CO₂ per year. 

  Since 2015, Nihon Kaisui has been making efforts to implement carbon neutrality in the salt producing process operating two units of woody biomass power generator in Ako Plant.

In Sanuki Plant at this time, a facility to generate 9,400kW at the maximum of woody biomass derived electricity is planned to be built up to cover all of the power generating fuels by biomass.

  The investment for this project amounts to¥14 billion yen. Out of the total amount, 4 billion yen is funded by government’s “Subsidy to support the Energy Saving Investment Promotion and Demand Structure Transformation Projects.”  

The woody biomass is mainly procured in Japan and in part from abroad. With the operation of the power generation plant, they say it may make a reduction corresponding to 17% of the CO₂ emission by Sakaide City. The CO₂ emission from Nihon Kaisui in 2030 will possibly be reduced by 67% in comparison with that in 2022. Regarding the remaining 33%, the company plans to reduce the CO₂ emission from the salt producing down to zero by means of transforming the remaining fossil fuel in Ako Plant into biomass. 

　The Air Water Group also is engaged with the biomass power business also in other fields than the salt producing business. As shown in the table, the group operates Air Water Onahama Biomass Electric (located in Iwaki City, Fukushima Pref. started operation in April 2021 producing 75,000 kW) and Nihon Kaisui TTS Kanda Power’s biomass power plant located at Kanda-cho, Kyoto-gun, Fukuoka Pref. started operation in August 2023 producing 50,000 kW). With five locations in total the group’s power generating capacity accounts for about 189,000kW.         

  Air Water is now preparing to supply CO₂-free green industrial gases which is attained by offsetting the environmental value of the green electricity produced in such a renewable energy (using the mass-balanced system) with the CO₂emission caused by the air separating production. In order to implement this attempt, it seems that the company will obtain certification of the third-party organization so that sales can start from this autumn.