Topics / Total production of electricity achived over 1 million kWh.　The woody biomass facility in Chichibu JAPAN.

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Topics / Total production of electricity achived over 1 million kWh.　The woody biomass facility in Chichibu JAPAN.

August 31, 2012

The total production of electricity of the woody biomass plant which Chichibu-shi, Saitama is managing attained 1 million kWh on the 22nd of this month. The test run was begun as first practical machine in domestic in December, 2006, and it reached in about five years and eight months. Although it was observed as natural power sources which utilize the thinner timber of a local forest and the track record is accumulated with the stability of power generation, etc., the issue which should be solved cost also occurs.　

An electricity-generation-by-biomass place is in sightseeing accommodations "Yoshida fine village" (Chichibu upper Yoshida). Fuel is the chip (woody chip) which broke unused thinner timber. A dynamo is turned by the gas which roasted the chip in a covered pan and was emitted, and electricity is produced.
Power generation efficiency changes also with the form of a woody chip, or content of water.
Although the city is using the thinner timber of a Japan cedar or a cypress as materials, it says that it is more efficient than the electric generating facilities in Akita Prefecture only using a Japan cedar.
Since the amount of moisture is less than Akita, comparison of only a Japan cedar is also suitable for power generation.

The total machine time of "1 million-kWh" achievement is 14,157 hours,by 2036 tons of woody chip were used. Compared with general thermal power generation, 520 tons of the amounts of discharge of carbon dioxide were able to be lessened. Plant supplies electric power to the facility of a Yoshida fine village, and sells a part for a surplus to the Tokyo Electric Power. On the track record in the 11 fiscal year, the electricity sales to utilities of the 48,000 kWh which amounts to 21.4% of generated 224,000 kWh were carried out.

Plant also has the side as the facilities for research, and it gives top priority to it being stabilized more and making it work now. The total operating hour in the 11 fiscal year is 3191 hours, is a last-fiscal-year ratio, and is increase of 403 hours. A city assumes "Machine time is extended every year and stability is increasing", and aims at annual 3600 hours.

On the other hand, the subject of a cost side is untouched. A prefecture removes the personnel expenses assisted the total amount, and the annual expense in connection with operation of plant will be 11,720,000 yen at the track record in the 11 fiscal year. Although the city has done the measure which reduces the procurement cost of a woody chip in a tentative way for cost reduction, it is interrupted now.

The main purposes of plant are "the forest conservation and training by effective use of thinner timber." The city supposes "Although it is required for the decrease of cost to carry out thinner timber from the place which is easy to carry out, from the field of forest conservation, it is not useful", and says that it continues operation in the present attitude for the time being.