Natural Gas and Biomass Renewable Energy (Sodegaura, Chiba, UK, North Yorkshire, USA) - 2023

Natural Gas and Biomass Renewable Energy (Sodegaura, Chiba, UK, North Yorkshire, USA) - 2023

In Sodegaura City, Chiba Prefecture, the Nakasode Clean Power project was launched in 2006 using local wind resources, and as a further development in 2023, Mitsubishi Power and Sodegaura Power Corporation are collaborating to build a natural gas-fired power plant with an output of 1.95 GW. This power plant will use the latest M701JAC gas turbine manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and is designed to accommodate 100% hydrogen combustion in the future. The facility is part of the company's efforts to achieve its 2030 decarbonization goal, which aims to increase the region's energy self-sufficiency and reduce its environmental footprint. In addition, plans are underway for a 75 MW biomass power plant by Doosan Škoda Power, which will use woody biomass as fuel to generate electricity to become part of a sustainable regional energy infrastructure.

Also making a major shift in renewable energy is Drax's power plant in North Yorkshire, England. Originally fueled by coal, this power plant has been converted to biomass and uses wood pellets imported from the U.S. and Canada to power 4 million homes annually. As a further consideration for the environment, Drax plans to introduce BECCS (carbon dioxide capture and storage technology) by 2027 to store 8 million tons of CO₂ per year in the ground without releasing it into the atmosphere. With this technology, Drax aims to achieve a negative carbon footprint and contribute to zero emissions through a combination of biomass and carbon capture technologies.

In the U.S., the implementation of the Inflation-Reduction Act (IRA) has accelerated the introduction of renewable energy, particularly wind and solar power, and incentives have been strengthened in each state in particular. For example, in Texas and California, large-scale solar installations are under construction, and the supply of renewable energy to the grid is on the rise. IRAs are also driving regional investments that are helping to ensure a stable energy supply and achieve statewide decarbonization goals. As distributed energy supply advances across the U.S., institutions and technologies for a low-carbon society are developing regionally to increase energy self-sufficiency and address climate change.

These efforts demonstrate that renewable energy is being promoted in Japan and other countries in ways that are closely linked to local resources and society, and are attracting attention in many regions as model cases for building sustainable energy systems.