PHOTO: Mitsubishi Corp.
December 5, 2019
BY Erin Voegele
Japan-based Mitsubishi Corp. on Dec. 4 announced plans to convert the Suzukawa Energy Center Ltd. to biomass. The 112-megawatt facility is currently fired with coal. The plant is expected to begin producing renewable energy from wood pellets in April 2022.
In a statement, Mitsubishi said it has made the decision to launch the biomass conversion project after having come to terms on conditions for procuring wood pellets and completing arrangements for a non-resource project finance.
Mitsubishi, through its wholly owned subsidiary Mitsubishi Corp. Power Ltd., and partners Nippon Paper Industries Co. Ltd. and Chubu Electric Power Co. Inc. established the Suzukawa EC in September 2013. The partners have been in discussions since then to develop a dedicated biomass power generation project at Suzukawa EC.
According to Mitsubishi, Suzukawa EC went online in September 2016 with a rated output of 112,000 kW. In conjunction with Suzukawa EC’s existing boiler that is designed to fire both coal and biomass, turbine and fuel conveyance equipment, fuel storage and other new equipment will be installed at the site.
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The biomass conversion of Suzukawa EC supports Mitsubishi’s goal to have renewable energy businesses account for more than 20 percent of its power generation assets by 2030.
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