Tokyo gov’t office switches to biomass source for 80% of electricity

Thirty million kilowatt hours of renewable energy willbe supplied to the Tokyo government's two main buildings and the metropolitanassembly hall, or approximately 80 percent of the complex's maximum annualenergy needs, officials said, adding that the switchover took place Thursday.

«With the Tokyo government taking the lead, wehope to speed up initiatives (to achieve the zero emission goal) in the privatesector,» an official in charge of the project said.

In June, the Tokyo government called for tenders forenergy suppliers, with bid evaluations focused on both cost and environmentalaspects. The contract, which was awarded to Hitachi Zosen Corp. for 632 millionyen ($5.9 million), will run to September next year.

Hitachi Zosen purchases energy produced by waste powergeneration at incineration plants within and outside Tokyo, supplying thebiomass portion to the city government.

CO2 is emitted when the plant material used as fuel isburned to produce energy, but this is offset by the absorption of the heat-trappinggas in the atmosphere via photosynthesis during the plants' growth. As such,the process is considered to result in a net zero carbon footprint.

By switching its source of electricity from gas andcoal to renewable energy, the Tokyo government has seen a 15 percent increasein costs, the officials said.

The remaining 20 percent of electricity is powered bygas supplied by a separate company under a long-term contract, due to thenecessity of having multiple power sources in the event of a disaster, theysaid.

In fiscal 2017, power generated by renewable energysources accounted for around 14 percent of the total used in Tokyo, includingprivate businesses. Tokyo will continue to promote the use of renewables toachieve the goal of raising the ratio to 30 percent by 2030, according to theofficials.