MHI Establishes Technology to Produce Biofuel Locally at Low Cost

In conjunction with the fermentation process, Hakutsuru Sake Brewing, in cooperation with Kobe University, established a technology to convert sugar originating from rice and barley straws into ethanol by use of yeasts. The yeasts are selected from those actually in use or those bred with non genetically modified organism (Non-GMO) technology.

Kansai Chemical Engineering verified distillation and dehydration technologies for producing bioethanol that satisfies automotive fuel standards. The technologies involve use of a new type of distillation column developed by the company which enables longer continuous operation than conventional systems, and a liquid phase adsorption type dehydration unit that enables processing with less energy than existing gas phase types.

The results of these various tests confirmed that biofuel satisfying JASO standards can be produced continuously, and they validated optimal operation conditions when using rice and barley straws as feedstocks. At the same time, based on the verification results, the bioethanol production cost was estimated for a commercial-scale plant to be built in Hyogo Prefecture. It was confirmed that total running costs from collection and transportation of feedstocks to ethanol production can be achieved below the target of 90 yen per liter.

The project's technologies for producing biofuel from lignocellulose have been drawing high expectations from various quarters as a means not only to provide an alternative energy source to fossil fuels, but also to resolve problems involving competition between food and energy that can trigger grain price hikes, and to make effective use of unused biomass resources that can be a source of greenhouse gas emissions such as methane. Various obstacles including low productivity and large energy consumption for production had been confronted in this field, however, this results verified through the demonstration project make significant progress toward addressing and resolving these issues.

Furthermore, the technology for extracting sugar from lignocellulose verified by MHI has been drawing attention not only for its feasible application to ethanol production but also as a technology applicable to the production of basic material for bio-plastics. These verification results from the demonstration plant are thus expected to attract attention globally.

MHI now plans to make the demonstration plant used in this project available to other business operators in Japan and abroad who are developing applications of feedstock material other than straw and targeting production of non-ethanol products. Going forward the company will continue its pursuit of early establishment of technologies for commercial-scale bio-refinery, including bioethanol, and it will seek order receipts for both experimental and commercial systems based on its proprietary technologies in cooperation with companies and organizations concerned.