2014 Vol.09

2014 Vol.09

Foreword
The Process of Designing Environmental Policy - Lessons learnt from the cases in UK Mitsutsune Yamaguchi, Special Advisor, RITE

Feature

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IPCC and its Fifth Assessment Report
Yoichi Kaya, President, RITE
Keigo Akimoto, Group Leader, Systems Analysis Group, RITE
Masato Takagi, Deputy Group Leader, Research & Coordination Group, RITE
Energy and Environmental Policy in Japan
Kenji Yamaji, Director-General, RITE

R&D Activities
Research & Coordination Group ◦ The Present States and Prospects of our Efforts for Realization of CCS

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Systems Analysis Group ◦ International Integrated Assessment Model Comparison Projects

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Molecular Microbiology andGlobal Biorefinery Trends and Research Overview of the Molecular Microbiology◦
Biotechnology Groupand Biotechnology Group26

Chemical Research
Challenges for Advanced Industrialization of CO2 Capture Technologies and Development◦Groupof Inorganic Membranes and Membrane Reactors for H2 Energy Production

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CO2 Storage Research Group ◦ Moving toward Commercialization of CO2 Storage Technologies

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Topics58

2013 Paper, Presentation and Publication

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Foreword

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The Process of Designing Environmental Policy– Lessons learnt from the cases in UK –Mitsutsune Yamaguchi
Special Advisor, Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth
The United Kingdom, by enacting The Climate Change Act 2008, has
introduced legally binding long-term target of 80% Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions reduction by 2050 relative to 1990 level for the first time in the world. To
achieve the target, the UK government set reduction targets (budgets) for eachfive year annual average emissions. So far, it is decided in its fourth budget thatthe target is set as 50% reduction by 2025 (more exactly annual average of2023-2027). The author of this column thinks this is so challenging and costly,
and may not be achievable. On the other hand, the author highly appreciates theprocess of setting climate policies and targets in the UK. This is the backgroundof this short essay.
In the UK, the independent Committee on Climate Change (CCC) playsa central role in setting the climate policies and targets. In December 2008, the
CCC sent its 828-page recommendation to the Government. The recommendation covers wide range of climate related issues including long-term reduction target toward 2050, emission targets for 3 budget periods until 2022, costs, impacts
to competitiveness for UK industries and ensuring stable energy supply. This
forms the base of current UK climate policy.
As a basis of long-term target, the CCC, acknowledging the necessity tolimit the temperature increase below 2 degree since pre-industrialization in orderto restrain the adverse impacts of climate change to a certain extent, concluded
50% global emissions reduction is necessary. This roughly corresponds to global
per capita emissions in 2050 to 2.1-2.6t/CO2. For the UK to attain this level, percapita emission must be reduced by 80% in comparison to 1990. This is the logicof 80% reduction target. Setting aside whether this is feasible or not, the basic
idea behind is to make global per capita emissions equal.
The CCC also conducted global cost benefit analysis based on the integrated assessment model. The outcome shows that the cost of 50% reduction in
2050 will be 1-3% of GDP and benefit far outweighs cost. After thorough review
of academic literatures, discount rates (pure rates of time preference) used here
are 0.1-1.5%. For the reference, the CCC also showed that if the rate is bigger
than 2.25%, cost will exceed benefit.
Though the author thinks the UK target is too much challenging, the author
also feels there are many aspects we should learn in designing Japan’s climate
policies and targets; several examples include transparent explanation of thenecessity of policies, measures to achieve the target and its cost-effectiveness,
impact to the economy. The same applies to the Electricity Market Reform justpassed the Parliament in December 2013. The UK Government published various papers (including white papers, technical updates, policy overviews andconsultations) since 2010 on the necessity of the reform, measures to be taken,
cost of the reform etc. and listen to stakeholders’ comments from time to time.
This contrasts to the way of setting recent Japan’s GHG reduction target of 3.8%
by 2020 that was decided without any consultation with the Government Council and without showing measures and cost of achieving the target. The author
thinks there are many aspects that RITE, one of the leading research institutes inJapan, can play in forming transparent and reasonable climate policy in Japan.

Feature◦IPCC and its Fifth Assessment Report

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IPCC and its Fifth Assessment Report

President

Yoichi KayaGroup Leader
Systems Analysis Group

Deputy Group Leader
Research & Coordination Group

Keigo Akimoto

Masato Takagi

1. The role of IPCC
Yoichi Kaya, President
It was 1988 when the issue of climate change became a large international policy issue. At the summit of this year issues of global environment had
been intensively discussed, of which climate change was a central topic. The firstpolitical reaction to this issue was the Framework Convention on Climate Change
signed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in1992. With this Convention as the basis the meeting of countries joining the Convention (Conference of Parties: COP) was held once a year, and Kyoto protocol
was signed at Kyoto conference which was COP3. In response to this politicalmovement World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations
Environmental Program (UNEP) established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988 for the purpose of illustrating scientifically the situation of climate change.
A number of scholars related to climate change were invited from all over
the world, but it is noticeable that IPCC is different in character from ordinary academic societies, as it is organized by many governments in the world. The IPCC
is organized in three Working Groups. Working Group I (WG1) deals with thephysical scientific aspects of climate change, Working Group II (WG2) assesses
the vulnerability of socio-economic and natural systems to climate change,
consequences of climate change, and options for adapting to it, and Working
Group III (WG3) assesses options for mitigating climate change (through limiting
greenhouse gas emissions). This structure has been basically the same since
the beginning of IPCC, although the titles of WG’s and the coverage by each WG
changed slightly.
The author attended the first meeting of WG3 in February 1989. Morethan 5 hundred participants attended the meeting which started with the address
by US secretary of state. IPCC established the principle at its beginning that its
role is to compile the most recent information on climate change and pass it to
the policy makers. This principle is the fundamental one of IPCC until now. IPCC
published 4 assessment reports in total by 2007 and they were quoted frequently
by COP. Particularly in case of setting the target of mitigating climate change
COP mentioned that they utilized the scientific knowledge of IPCC as the basis.

Feature◦IPCC and its Fifth Assessment Report

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However the objective of IPCC is, as mentioned as above, just to gather andcompile the scientific knowledge but not to recommend any target at all. This isoften misunderstood by the public but we stress once again that discussions connected to real policy are the role of COP but not the role of IPCC.
IPCC is now in the process of editing its fifth reports and that of WG1 wasalready published in September 2013. The outline of this report will be describedlater and the reports of other two work groups will be published in March and April
2014. All the reports have been prepared by cooperation of a number of scientists and edited several times. For example in case of WG1 report about 800 leadauthors and cooperate authors participated in the works of making the report ofmore than two thousand pages.

2. On the fifth assessment report of WG1
Yoichi Kaya, President
Among the fifth assessment reports the report already published is theone by WG1 which deals with present science of climate change. Here the author
quotes two noticeable points from the Summary for Policy Makers (SPM) of thereport of WG1.
The first point is that it stresses the climate change of the period particularly after 1950 during which the rise in temperature was large was induced byanthropogenic causes (probability > 95%). You may think this is the matter almost
needless to say, but we should notice that there have been a number of skepticisms about climate change science. The above stress is significant in the senseof denying these skepticisms. For example one of well known skepticisms is thatby H.Svensmark of Denmark. He believes that changes in solar radiation induce
the change in quantity of cosmic ray from the galaxy to the earth, then in the total
amount of low layer clouds on the earth and finally of the earth surface temperature. If we follow him the climate change has been induced not by anthropogenic
causes but by natural ones. The fifth report of WG1 published this time denies
this logic. The SPM describes clearly that solar radiation did not contribute to therise in global surface temperature at all since 1986.
The second point is that the report indicated the temperature rise is related
almost linearly to cumulative emission of CO2 in the air. According to the analysis
in the report the rise in global surface temperature from the past is almost proportional to the cumulative emission of CO2 (Fig.1). This is a very serious statement,
as it means that if we want to stabilize the global surface temperature we haveto reduce anthropogenic CO2 emission to almost zero eventually. (The author
believes CO2 emission should be reduced lower than the level of one tenth of thepresent emission level but it does not have to be exactly zero. Its detailed discussion is not described here due to space limitation.) From the past the objective oflimiting the rise in global surface temperature since preindustrial era to 2 °C has
been discussed frequently, and according to the SPM the cumulative emission of
CO2 from the past should be limited to 3010 GtCO2 with the probability of 50%,
but anthropogenic cumulative emission of CO2 already reached 1890 GtCO2.
Since anthropogenic emission of CO2 emitted every year is, including
emission from land use, 38Gt CO2, the cumulative emission will reach 3010 Gt

Feature◦IPCC and its Fifth Assessment Report

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source: IPCC AR-5 WG1 Fig. SPM-10

CO2 within 30 years if we keep the present level of emission. Then the temperature will rise further unless we achieve drastic reduction in anthropogenic CO2
emission. Actual situation is worse, because global CO2 emission has been increasing at the rate of 2% per year since 2000. The above simple analysis indicates that the 2 degree target is a very difficult one to achieve. Any way we haveto notice that mankind has to make drastic efforts for reducing CO2 emission inorder to limit the future temperature rise to less than a certain level.
Mankind should therefore make the following actions. The first is to consider that the 2 degree target is too difficult to achieve and then to redesign sothat the target may be more achievable. Of course it is indispensable in the redesign to investigate how much worsening of the impact on climate change will
be induced by that redesign of the target. The author takes these factors into
account and has been proposing the 2.5 degree target. However due to the limitof the space of this paper the author has to skip the description of details of this
proposal in this paper. The second is to investigate the long term measures fordrastic reduction of CO2 emission, and if possible also those for realizing negative emission (i.e. absorption of CO2). Development of large scale solar power
generation with little output variability (space power generation and solar thermal
power generation are candidates) and high efficiency water dissolution by sunlight are good examples of these technologies.

3. Overview of the fifth assessment report of IPCC Working
Group 1 and its focal point
Keigo Akimoto, Group Leader, Systems Analysis Group
Since the IPCC was established in 1988, it has provided the world with aclear scientific view on a wide range of complex issues in climate change. The
IPCC First Assessment Report was released in 1990 and the previous report, the
IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4), was released in 2007. The IPCC is nowFeature◦IPCC and its Fifth Assessment Report

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working on the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5). This article focuses on the overview of the approved and released SPM of the WG1 and underlying reports.
The SPM states that “warming of the climate system is unequivocal, andsince the 1950s, many of the observed changes are unprecedented over decades to millennia”. It says: “the globally averaged combined land and ocean
surface temperature data show a warming of 0.85 [90% likelihood: 0.65 to 1.06)]°C over the period 1880 to 2012. Over the last two decades, the Greenlandand Antarctic ice sheets have been losing mass and glaciers have continued toshrink almost worldwide. It is extremely likely that human influence has been thedominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century (“extremely
likely” that indicates 95 to 100% likelihood of an outcome or a result)”. The corresponding statement in AR4 was “very likely” (90 to 100% likelihood), thus therating for confidence level raised one-step further.
Regarding projections for future climate change, the SPM admits that thelong-term climate model simulations agree with the observed global-mean surface temperature from 1951 to 2012, but there are differences between simulated
and observed trends over period as short as 10 to 15 years. Although global
mean surface temperature has been increasing continuously, there is a period
called a “hiatus (break)”, in which the observed global-mean surface temperature
increased little during the last 10 to 15 years. The observed warming was almost
below the lowest limit or in the lower level of the likely range suggested in theAR4. Many experts think, however, ocean heat content is so great that it is difficult for climate models to reproduce contribution from natural internal decadal
variability and eventually long-term increases in observed temperature will beconsistent with the model-estimated simulation and not way off the mark. In fact,
there are some studies that suggest an increase in deeper ocean heat uptake.
Climate models have improved, but many climate phenomena are yet to be reproduced better. Further improvement is required.
As an index to simply show the relations between atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations and surface temperature increase, equilibrium climate
sensitivity (ECS) has been used quite often. The ECS tells us to what degree theglobal mean surface temperature increases when the atmospheric greenhousegas concentration doubles and stabilizes. This SPM states that equilibrium climate sensitivity is likely in the range 1.5°C to 4.5°C, extremely unlikely less than1°C, and very unlikely greater than 6°C. The likely range had been 1.5°C to 4.5°
C until the third assessment report (2001), which was raised to 2.0°C to 4.5°C in
the AR4 and returned to the original range in this SPM. The lowered range may
have reflected on recent observation of retarded global warming, albeit with little
difference in climate modeled simulations between AR4 and AR5. In any event,it suggests that uncertainty still remains high and is not expected to be readily
reduced. Policymakers are required to make decisions on climate change in theface of continuing uncertainty.
One thing that should be noted in this SPM is that not only the ECS, butalso the “transient climate response (TCR)” is discussed. The TCR is defined as
the change in global mean surface temperature at the time when the atmospheric
CO2 concentration has doubled in a scenario of concentration increasing at 1%
per year (in about 70 years). The TCR is considered more realistic figures thanthe ECS. The SPM states that the TCR is likely in the range of 1.0°C to 2.5°C

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and extremely unlikely greater than 3°C. Currently, in addition to stabilization scenarios of atmospheric GHG concentration, overshoot scenarios have been underdiscussion. In the overshoot scenarios, the concentration is expected to first go
beyond 450 ppm to 500 ppm and then go back to 450 ppm. This scenario cannot
define the ECS, which is one reason for new discussion.
Another important issue is that this SPM covers the “Transient Climate Response to Cumulative Carbon Emissions (TCRE)”. TCRE approximately showsby what degrees in temperature the planet will warm according to what Gt carbon
emissions are accumulated in the atmosphere. Therefore, it is simple and convenient for us to assume temperature increase relative to the accumulated emissions without calculating the atmospheric concentrations. (See the article by Dr.
Yoichi Kaya).
The assessment reports of the WG2 and WG3 are planned to be approved
and released soon. What we should do is to understand the contents correctly
and to make the most of the knowledge in formulating specific global warming
measures, policies, or entering into international negotiations on climate change.

Attending the IPCC Plenary Session
Masato Takagi, Deputy Group Leader, Research & Coordination Group
I attended the 12th session of the WG1 and the 36th plenary session of the IPCC (where SPM of the
WG1 was approved and accepted) held on September 23 to 26, 2013 in Stockholm, Sweden. This column
gives you a snapshot of the conference.
Let me start with the process until the AR5 is accepted. First, lead authors (LA) contribute to a first order draft, which is reviewed by expert reviewers twice and by governments once. Then the first order draft is
re-drafted. In the assessment reports of the WG1, 259 lead authors and 50 review editors from 39 countries
got involved. While 669 expert reviewers from 47 countries made a total of 2,100 comments to the first orderdraft, 800 experts from 46 countries and 26 governments made 31,422 comments to the second order draft.
The final order draft of the SPM was reviewed by the governments. To review the about 30-page summary,
32 governments made a total of 1,855 comments.
The 12th session of the WG1 started with greetings from Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chairman of the IPCC
and Lena Ek, Swedish Minister of the Environment. Co-chairs of the WG1 Dahe Qin (China) and Thomas
Stocker (Switzerland) were appointed to chair the session and discussion started. The revised final orderdraft of the SPM, which had been revised after the governmental review, was projected on a screen and referring to that, government representatives worked through the text on a line-by-line basis. When the representative wanted to make an objection or a comment, he/she raised the name plate to declare “intervention”.
When there is no “intervention”, it was regarded as consensus reached and the text was approved. When
governments’ opinions were opposed to halt the negotiations, the co-chairs convened a contact group or aconsultation group to discuss the controversial issue. Those group discussions progressed in parallel withthe plenary session until a solution was proposed. The proposal was then brought back to the plenary session and approved. As was often the case of the international negotiations, the progress was so slow especially in the first half of consideration. Thus, a “performance-meter”, bar graphs to compare the time passed
and the results obtained, was displayed on the screen to visualize the progress. We only found the discussion stumbling on small matters from the very beginning and the results of day 1 reached 5% of the total,
day 2 at 10%, and day 3 at about 20%. The session of day 3 closed at 2 o’clock in the night and we sat allnight on the final day and saw all the text finally approved at dawn of September 27.
The key points of the discussion were published in ENB report of the IISD (http://www.iisd.ca/download/
pdf/enb12581e.pdf). Reference years, hiatus, paleoclimate, sea level rise, ECS, and TCRE each caused acontroversy. The sessions were physically and mentally very hard. Still, I think this consideration process isabsolutely necessary to revise abstract expressions in the SPM to more specific and scientific ones.

Feature◦Energy and Environmental Policy in Japan

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Energy and Environmental Policy in Japan

Kenji Yamaji, Director-General

1. Status as of January 2014
In response to the Fukushima nuclear accident, the Japanese government, then by DPJ, began to review its energy and environmental policy from theground up.
To review the energy and environmental policy, the Energy and Environment Council comprised primarily of cabinet members was set up to oversee theAdvisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy, the Japan Atomic Energy
Commission, and the Central Environment Council, which had conventionallydeliberated on the energy and environmental policy. The review was conductedunder the initiative of politicians. Under the new framework, each council selected
policy options, which were further selected by the Energy and Environment Council to establish a fundamental course for a new policy through nationwide debate.
Based on the debate, in September 2012, the national government developed theInnovative Strategy for Energy and the Environment with an aim to achieve zero
nuclear power in the 2030s.
However, the DPJ government collapsed after the Lower House generalelection held in December 2012. On its return to power, the LDP-New Komeito
government took the Innovative Strategy for Energy and the Environment backto the drawing board and began to work out another energy and environmental
policy, including revising anti-global warming targets for 2020.
The Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy concluded its
discussions in December 2013 by submitting a report on a new Strategic Energy
Plan where the nuclear option is maintained; and the minister of the environment
announced a new, but tentative, GHG reduction target of 3.8% for 2020 from thelevel of 2005 at COP 19 meeting in November 2013.

2. Frontiers of energy and environmental policy in Japan
Japan’s energy and environmental policy is presently at a historical turning
point. Although the fundamental goals should be pursued as before to ensure sta-Feature◦Energy and Environmental Policy in Japan

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ble energy supply, to sustain the Japanese economy by economical and efficientenergy, to work on measures against global warming, and to achieve the three “E”
s concurrently, debates are ongoing about the degree of future dependence on
nuclear power and targeted measures against anti-global warming for 2020 andthereafter, in order to devise practical and concrete measures.
The author believes that to achieve the fundamental goals, it is important
to maintain the widest possible range of Japan’s energy and environmental policy
options. It is necessary to retain the nuclear power option, further the energysaving efforts, actively introduce renewable energy, and use fossil fuels cleanly
and stably. Among them, as Japan’s energy and environmental policy frontiers, itwould be important to recognize the options for using positively demand-side resources and for having an international perspective,.
Japan’s energy and environmental policy has largely focused on supplyside measures. The core of the energy-saving policy has been improving efficiency in energy use. Policymaking has lacked the perspective of aggressively using
energy consumer-side power sources and energy storage equipment for energy
supply-demand control. However, to further energy-saving efforts, to massively
introduce naturally varying power of solar panels and wind, and to ensure robustenergy supply against large-scale disasters such as the Great East Japan Earthquake, it is extremely important for the entire society to share energy supplydemand information and for various demand-side energy equipment to take partin the operation of the entire energy system.
Making the demand side resources active implies a full-scale introductionof distributed resources into energy supply. It is a significant change to the fundamental structure of the conventional energy system designed to enable a centralized supply source to serve distributed consumers through networking. It meansbuilding a smart energy system in which information is linked between supply
and demand so as to use demand-side energy equipment, such as distributed
cogeneration systems, EV storage batteries, and hot water tanks in water heaters, in energy supply-demand control via an information network (“energy cloud”).
Also, it requires constructing a high-efficiency energy utilization infrastructure into
buildings and urban structures and forming a smart community through the use of
the aforementioned integrated network. This is a great challenge and is expected
to develop a new social system and to lead to reviving Japan.
On the other hand, Japan’s targeted measures against global warmingfor 2020 are in the final adjustment stage. When taking measures against global
warming, an international perspective is specifically important. Japan presently
accounts for only 3% to 4% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. This percentage is forecast to decrease. Consequently, it is extremely important to viewthe nation’s contribution to measures against global warming from an international perspective.
Japan has promoted technology development since the oil crises and

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Feature◦Energy and Environmental Policy in Japan

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has the world’s highest level of efficient production technologies in steel andmany other industrial fields. In the areas of heat pumps, LED lighting, and otherenergy-using items, world-leading high-efficiency products are manufactured in
the country. Japan can contribute to measures against global warming not only
by reduced emissions of greenhouse gases in the country, but also by globally
deploying its excellent technologies and products.
A recent trend in determining greenhouse gas emissions in the industrial
sector is the assessment of lifecycle emissions, which includes emissions associated with goods and services procured by a company and with the use of thecompany’s products by users, as well as with the company’s production activity.
Using well-developed techniques of lifecycle greenhouse gas emission assessment, it becomes possible to measure Japan’s global contribution to greenhousegas emission reduction.
Japan’s measures against global warming have conventionally placed
prime importance on domestic measures and used the Kyoto mechanisms andother international cooperative measures simply as supplementary measures.
However, greenhouse gas emission reduction through international cooperative
measures should be more positively evaluated. The existing scheme of earning
credits emphasized the aspect of buying emission rights and produced financial
instruments, obscuring the originally intended contribution to global emission
reduction. However, if lifecycle assessment is effective in indicating the extent of
reduction achieved through international contribution, Japan’s international contribution is expected to gain greater recognition. JCM (joint crediting mechanism orbilateral off-set credit mechanism) could make a first step toward this direction.
Japanese leading-edge technologies, such as superb coal-fired power
generation and hydrogen-related technologies, need to be used in wider applications on an international scale. For example, an initiative is announced to introduce low-cost hydrogen produced from Australian brown coal using a Japanesetechnology. International deployment of Japanese technologies contributes tostable energy supply and improved economy, as well as to measures against global warming.
Economies in the world have been globalized across national boundaries.
Japan’s energy and environmental policy needs to be aggressively deployed in
the international arena.

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R&D Activities◦Research & Coordination Group

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Research & Coordination Group【Key members】
Masato Takagi, Deputy Group Leader
Ryoichi Okura, Deputy Group Leader
Kunio Sakuyama, Manager
Yoshinori Aoki, Manager
Takafumi Tetsuya, Planning Manager
Hiroyasu Torii, Planning Manager
Ken-ichi Koga, Vice Manager
Kohji Katsurahara, Vice Manager

Hideaki Tsuzuku
Group Leader

Atsushi Ibusuki, Vice Manager

The Present States and Prospects of our Efforts for
Realization of CCS
1. Introduction
A drastic reduction of CO2 emissions is required for mitigation of global
warming. According to “the Energy Technology Perspective 2012 (ETP2012)”1)
issued by International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2012, global emissions of CO2 in
2050 should be decreased to 16Gt-CO2/yr, which is almost half of the emissions in
2009, in order to limit long-term global temperature increase to 2°C. This meansthat 42Gt-CO2 /yr should be cut from the baseline emissions in 2050, estimatedas 58Gt-CO2 /yr. Such a significant reduction cannot be achieved by only a soletechnology, but combination of technologies with great potential is required. In
this context, “Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS)” has been gaining
attentions as innovative mitigation options. This option is cost-competitive andhas stabilities against power fluctuation comparing to photovoltaic or wind power.
This report provides you of comprehensive overviews of latest progress
and issues on CCS which is central focus of our research. Furthermore, we also
describe the present states and prospects of our efforts for the realization of
CCS.
2. Current status of CCS
2-1. Necessity and perspective of CCS
According to the the 2°C Scenario (2DS) stated in the ETP2012, CCS
plays an important role as a vital technology to contribute 17% of the total
emission reduction on the globe through 2050 (Fig. 1).
It is necessary to introduce CCS into industrial sectors, such as iron andsteel, cement and chemical processing as well as power plant sector, suchas coal power and gas power to meet deep emissions reduction goals, while
renewable energy and so on cannot work well in such production processes of
those industrial sectors. In the 2DS, industrial sectors would account for 45% of
the total volume captured and stored between 2013 and 2050.
2-2. The status of CCS projects
The Global CCS Institute (GCCSI) published “The Global Status of CCS:

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R&D Activities◦Research & Coordination Groupsource: IEA“Technology Roadmap Carbon capture and storage 2013 edition”2)
Fig. 1: Contributions of technologies against global warming

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source: GCCSI “the global status of CCS 2012”
Fig. 2: Costs of CO2 avoided by technologies

2013”3) which summarizes CCS projects activities in the world. It shows largescale integrated projects (LSIPs) are classified into the following six stages
based on stages of progress: Identify, Evaluate, Define, Execute, Operate, andClosure. Based on the project lists made by GCCSI, the “Identify” is the stage ofsite screening, “Evaluate” is site assessment and pre-feasibility study, “Define”
is site selection and feasibility study, “Execute” is project execution, design andinstallation, and “Operate” means asset operation. The “Closure” is the stage that
injection is completed and asset is decommissioned.
According to the report, there are 20 LSIPs listed in the Execute andOperate stages, 8 LSIPs of the total are classified as Execute and other 12
LSIPs as Operate. The number of total LSIPs including the planning stages ofdevelopment (‘Identify’, ‘Evaluate’, and ‘Define’) amounts to 65, decreasing by
ten projects compared to the 75 reported in the Global Status of CCS: 2012 (Fig.
3). Although most of LSIPs in China are classified into ‘Identify’, considering its
future economic growth and the corresponding energy
demands and IEA perspectives, the future progress of
those projects should be closely watched.
In Japan, a large-scale CCS demonstration projectis implemented at the Tomakomai site in Hokkaido. Two
major facilities, CO2 capture facility and CO2 compression &injection facility will be newly designed and constructed byMarch 2016. 100,000 tons/year or more CO2 is planned to
be stored in two separate reservoirs starting from FY2016.
It is also planned to monitor the behavior of CO2 in thereservoirs to verify neither seepage nor impact is caused
by natural earthquake during and after the CO2 injection
comparing to the baseline data obtained before injection.
source: GCCSI, “the global status of CCS 2013”
Fig. 3: Large scale integrated projects of CCS

2-3. The issues of CCS
IEA published “Technology Roadmap Carbon capture and storage 2013
edition” in July 2013. This report highlights key findings they have found andseven key actions needed in the next seven years to create a solid foundation for
deployment of CCS starting by 2020.
“Key findings and actions” in this report states that “Lack of understanding
and acceptance of the technology by the public, as well as some energy and13

R&D Activities◦Research & Coordination Group

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climate stakeholders, also contributes to delays and difficulties in deployment”,“Governments and industry must ensure that the incentive and regulatory
frameworks are in place and co-operation among governments should be
encouraged “, “CCS is not only about electricity generation. Industrial applications
such as steel, cement and chemicals must be equipped with CCS “, and so on(Table 1).
Also, “Seven key actions for the next seven years” are stated in thisreport as following: “Introduce financial support mechanisms for demonstrationand early deployment of CCS to drive private financing of projects”, “Implement
policies that encourage storage exploration, characterization and development for
CCS projects”, “Develop national laws and regulations as well as provisions for
multilateral finance that effectively require new-build, base-load, fossil-fuel power
generation capacity to be CCS-ready”, “Significantly increase efforts to improveunderstanding among the public and stakeholders of CCS technology and theimportance of its deployment”, and so on (Table 2).
Table 1: Key findings we have foundTable 2: Seven key actions needed in the next seven years

source: IEA"Technology Roadmap Carbon capture and storage
2013 edition"2)
source: IEA"Technology Roadmap Carbon capture and storage
2013 edition"2)2-4. Overseas trends of the regulations about CCS
In September 2013, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), USA
proposed New Source Performance Standards on the basis of Climate Action
Plan which President Obama issued. The proposed standards require that newly
constructed coal fired power plant should meet the CO2 emission limitation in therange of 500kg/MWh(one- year average) or 480kg/MWh(seven- year average).
They also require that newly constructed gas fired power plant should meet theCO2 emission limitation in the range of 45 kg/MWh(large scale plant) or 50 kg/
MWh(small plant). As figure4 shows, meeting this limitation for coal fired power
plant cannot be accomplished even if we utilize a technology of the latest IGCC
and IGFC in the coal fired power generation. Therefore, new coal fired power
plants would be required to capture and storage a portion of their CO2 emissions.
Meanwhile, highly efficient gas fired power plant like combined cycle gas fired
power plant will meet this limitation. CO2 Emission Performance Standard (EPS)
which requires CO 2 emission limitation in the range of 50 kg/MWh for coal
fired power plant has been endorsed in Canada. Introduction of CO2 Emission
Performance Standard (EPS) has been approved in the parliament in UK.
As for CCS-ready regulation which requires feasibility study for constructionof new thermal power plant, EU directive has been entered into effect.

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Transportation of EU directive into national law has been completed in some of
EU member states, such as Spain, the Kingdom of Denmark and so on. Figure3
explains above mentioned situations.
Table 3: Outline of overseas regulation on CO2

Fig. 4: CO2 emission per output (g-CO2/kWh)"Chief of the bureau grade meeting report about the thermal power supply bid of Tokyo Electric Power Company concerned" which was agreed between
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Ministry of Environment(MOE) was published on the 26th of April, 2013. The target that Japan reduces
CO2 emission by 80% until 2050 is mentioned in it. This report sets targets forpromotion of CCS as "acceleration of research and development of CCS aiming
at commercialization of CCS by around 2020", "Implementing investigation ofsuitable storage sites for CO2 reservoir for early realization of CCS introduction","examining the introduction of CCS into coal fired power plant on a commercial
scale by 2030", "developing a legislation for introduction of CCS-ready basedon the results of investigation of suitable storage sites and the requirements for
CCS-ready regulation".
2-5. International standardization for CCS
With a view to the practical application of CCS, cross-national efforts forthe international standardization for CCS has been started under the frameworkof International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO Technical Committee(ISO/TC265 ) for CCS was establish in October, 2011. Canada leads thecommittee as a chair-country, participant members of the TC265 are composedof 17 countries, observer members are 10 countries and 6 internationalorganizations participate in the TC265. Six working
groups are set up under the TC: Capture WG,
Transportation WG, Storage WG, Cross-Cutting WG,
Quantification & Verification WG and Enhanced Oil
Recovery WG. Japan acts as convener of WG1 and
WG3 and secretary of WG1 (Fig. 5).
In response to involvement in this internationalframework, Japan set up the mirror committee of ISO/
TC265. This committee discusses and determines
response guideline. RITE was assigned as asecretariat of the Japanese mirror committee of ISO/
TC265. Capture WG, Transportation WG, Storage WG
and Cross-Cutting, Quantification& Verification WG
are set up under the Japanese mirror committee in
Fig. 5: Organization of Japanese Mirror Committee
accordance with the TC265 (Fig. 5). The establishment

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of WG for EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery) is going to be examined on an asneeded basis.
The TC265 has been held three times. At the first meeting of the TC265,
the name of TC was decided and at the second meeting five WG were set up
and conveners of WG were appointed respectively. The third meeting was held in
Beijing in September 2013. 11 participant member countries and 3 internationalorganizations participated in the meeting. 15 delegates from Japan participatedin the meeting. At the third meeting, 4 NWIPs (new work item proposals) wereapproved and International standardization for CCS actually started. The TC265
also decided to set up a new Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) WG and an ad-hoc
meeting to define clear borders among the WGs. The ad-hoc meeting will delivera result about the borders by the next meeting of TC265. The next meeting of theTC265 will be held in Berlin, Germany from 31th March through 4th April, 2014. In
response to these circumstances, the Japanese mirror committee has discussed
and decided how to cope with the next meeting in Berlin so that the technology
and knowledge that Japanese companies had developed will be evaluatedappropriately.
Table 4: Activities of each ISO WG

Fig. 6: Schedule of ISO/TC265

3. The outcomes of Zero-emission Coal-fired Power Generation Project
RITE implemented "Conceptual design of CO 2 storage system andevaluation of the potential reservoir of CO2" under "Innovative zero-emission coal
thermal power generation project" in cooperation with OYO Corporation under
entrustment from NEDO from FY2008 through FY2012. RITE has establishedthe way of evaluation of CO2 reservoir, investigated CO2 storage engineeringand evaluated nationwide CO2 reservoirs. Based on these results, RITE selected
three candidate sites, site A, B and C as the CO2 storage sites. RITE performed
the conceptual design of CO2 storage systems and calculated the estimatedcosts of CO2 storage systems on a demonstration scale (240kt-CO2/year) anda commercial scale (1.54Mt-CO2/year). In addition, RITE selected site D for alarge scale CO2 storage and performed the conceptual design of CO2 storage
systems and calculated an estimated cost of a CO2 storage system for a large
scale demonstration (10Mt-CO2/year). As a result, it is proved that the cost of alarge-scale system is more cost-effective than those of more than one small scale
system's. Also, RITE developed an economic evaluation tool for CO2 storage
based on the findings.

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Table 5 shows the brief summary of each candidate site selected in thisproject. Among the four sites A to D, the site A is the nearest one from the coastand in alphabetical order, the locations of other sites are getting farther awayfrom the coast and deeper. As for the CO2 storage system, site A is intended for
an inclined well from the land, site B is for a jack-up platform, which is located on
the sea with its bottom attached to the seabed, and both sites C and D are forsemi-submersible platforms, that is, a platform floating on the sea. Estimated costof CO2 storage facility on a commercial scale (1.54Mt-CO2/year) is within a rangeof 26 to 38 billion yen. The farther the site is apart from the coast, the higher thecost increases. According to our estimation, the construction cost of a large-scalestorage system (10Mt-CO2/year) at site D will be at 89.4 billion yen if the wholesystem is constructed at a time, in the meantime, the cost will increase to 112.1
billion yen if the components of the total system are built separately. In contrast,
the cost of CO2 storage system (1.54 Mt-CO2/year) at site D will be at 31.6 billion
yen, therefore, in case of a system for 10 Mt-CO2/year, the total construction
costs of the smaller systems will run to approximately 180 billion yen, which isequal to about six times of 1.54Mt level. Therefore, it proves that the cost of asingle large-scale system is more economical than those of assembled smallscale ones.
RITE has developed an economic evaluation tool on CO2 reservoir in thisproject (Fig. 7). When full-scale CCS is deployed in the future, it is necessary toevaluate the economy as well as the safety and the quantity of the potential sitein order to select the CO2 storage site. In the screening stage of the CO2 storagesites, it is not easy to evaluate the economy including transportation cost. RITE
developed "the economic evaluation tool for CO2 storage" to support selectionof CO2 storage sites. RITE expects to provide our data on CCS by utilizing thisdatabase tool in future.
Table 5: Outline of each site selected in this project

Fig. 7: Development of "the economical evaluation tool for CO2 storage"

In addition, RITE has compiled our future challenges of CCS storage andproposals for the future. (Table6, Table7) Out of this proposal, "prioritization of theCO2 storage site development and further exploration based on the priorities","compiling information about the CO2 storage sites into a database and making
it accessible to the persons concerned", "developing a technique and a tool toperform exploration of the CO2 storage sites more effectively" are important inparticular.

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Table 6: Future challenges of CCS storage

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Table 7: Proposals for future about CCS storage

4. S torage & Utilization of CO 2 for Coexistence of Economical & Safe
System (SUCCESS)
More economical and safer CCS technology is necessary to expand thecandidate sites for CO2 storage. Storage & Utilization of CO2 for Coexistenceof Economical & Safe System is one of the more economical and safer CCS
technologies and we call it “SUCCESS” by short. The concept of this system
has been developed on the basis of “Enhanced Geothermal System using CO2"
reported in the previous issue of the RITE Today last year. “SUCCESS” is a nextgeneration CO2 storage system which has three advantageous effects (geothermalheat utilization, stratum pressure relaxation, injection rate increase) (Fig. 8).
First of all, this system has an advantage in that it boosts economic
efficiency of the CCS business and secures income by utilizing geothermalenergy. A mechanism of this system is to utilize thermal energy from thedischarged high-temperature ground water. After an aquifer is filled with CO2
injected, the system will circulate CO2 and utilize a geothermal energy. LBNL,
USA is planning a verification test of the geothermal heat use with CCS, and
RITE intends to promote a collaborative research with LBNL. Secondly, thissystem has a possibility to serve as a tool for safety measures to avoid abnormal
elevation of the stratum pressure by depressurizing the aquifer at the injection.

Fig. 8: Outline of SUCCESS

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Fig. 9: Example of the stratum pressure control by the dischargeof the ground water

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In this way, we can expect the effect of safety improvement by this system.
The third promising effect is that this system enables to raise the rate of CO2
injection per one well resulting from relaxation of a rise in stratum pressure. As aconsequence, it leads to cost reduction arising from more efficient injection withincreased volume of CO2.
Some similar systems are slated to be in operation abroad. For example,
in the case of the Gorgon project in Australia, they will inject CO2 into the injection
wells and concurrently discharge water out of the pressure management well sothat they can adjust stratum pressure. As a result, positive effects such as
maintaining the injection rate, avoiding to reach stratum destruction level of thepressure and optimizing the ability of CO 2 reservoir are expected. In thetechnology evaluation report of the project, discharging water out of the aquifer ismentioned as an emergency measure when stratum pressure increases (Fig. 9).
5. Conclusion
Among limited technical options for the future, CCS is focused to play a
critical role to substantially reduce CO2 emissions. Therefore, toward introductionof CCS, it is required creating incentives such as introduction of financial
supports, further exploration of CO2 storage sites, development of regulations
including CCS-ready conditions, implementation of demonstration tests of capturesystems for industrial application, promotion of public understanding, accelerationof researches on CCS technologies. In some overseas countries, certain
regulations to mandate CCS-ready and the new Emission Performance Standard(EPS) are ready or have been in force. In addition, International standardization
for CCS has been in progress steadily.
As for CO2 storage, based on a the result of Zero-emission Coal-fired
Power Generation Project, it is necessary to work on exploration of CO2 storagesites, optimization of the total CCS system and concrete planning on a largescale project to accelerate promotion of CCS. Especially, prioritizing developmentof CO2 storage sites and further exploration, and compiling information on CO2
storage sites into a database and making it accessible by the persons concerned,
are important.
The more economical and safer CCS technology is necessary to expand
the potential CO2 storage sites. SUCCES is a next-generation CO2 storage
system to bring some non-conventional effects such as utilization of terrestrial
heat, relaxation of stratum pressure, improvement of injection rate by discharging
the ground water from the aquifer and RITE will continue to implement feasibility
study on this approach in future.

Reference
1) IEA, “Energy Technology Perspective 2012” (2012)
2) IEA, “Technology Roadmap Carbon capture and storage 2013 edition”(2013)
3) GCCSI, “The Global Status of CCS: 2013” (2013)19

R&D Activities◦Systems Analysis Group

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Systems Analysis Group【Key members】
Toshimasa Tomoda, Chief Researcher
Kenichi Wada, Senior Researcher
Miyuki Nagashima, Senior Researcher
Takashi Homma, Senior Researcher
Fuminori Sano, Senior Researcher
Ayami Hayashi, Researcher
Junichiro Oda, Researcher
Kohko Tokushige, Researcher

Keigo AkimotoGroup Leader

International Integrated Assessment Model
Comparison Projects
1. Introduction
The IPCC 5th Assessment Report (AR5) are scheduled to be completed in
2014. The Working Group III assesses mitigation options and the report “Climate
Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change”, will be released in April 2014 after
the approval in the 39th Session of IPCC. Scenario analysis and modeling exercise by the integrated assessment model (IAM) provide a key element in the AR5report. A number of international inter-model comparison projects are formulated
mainly in the United States and EU countries in an effort to make contribution to
the IPCC AR5 report. RITE have been involved in many of those projects andprovided the assessments using our models.
This article introduces the climate challenges that the IAMs are currently
addressing based on the outcomes of the international IAM comparison projects.
2. Inter-model comparison studies
IAMs cover wide variety of issues that often involve significant uncertainty,
leading to the broad range of different results across models. Inter-model comparison projects help better understanding where the differences in model behaviour come from and considering plausible policy implications. Table 1 presents
the list of ongoing or recently completed international model comparison projects
that RITE joined.
The integrated assessment models are powerful tool to evaluate mitigation strategy, but it represents nothing more than a simplified world. Complex realworld phenomena cannot be captured fully in such a simplistic approach. For example, it is often emphasized that only moderate global GDP losses of several %are estimated for deep GHG emissions cuts and the IPCC AR4 report1) presented
more or less consistent results with that estimation. These results, however, are20

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Table 1: International model comparison projects that RITE joined
Host OrganizationAME

JGCRI/PNNL(US)

Objective/Overview
Asia Modeling Exercise (AME) was initiated in 2010 and completed in late 2012. Funded by US
EPA, EMF, EPRI and others. The goal of AME was to better articulate the role of Asia, most important region in addressing global climate change. 23 energy and integrated assessment models participated in. Papers are published in the special issue of the Energy Economics2).

EMF27

Stanford University, EMF

The Energy Modeling Forum 27 (EMF27) study focuses on “Technology Strategies for Achieving(US)

Climate Policy Objectives” Project duration; 2010-12. Study results are published in the special issue of Climatic Change3).

AMPEREPIK (Germany)

AMPERE is an EU-funded international project in the period of 2011-2014. The project assesses
the impact of the uncertainty of climate projection, the role of mitigation technology and delayed andfragmented climate policy. The results have been published in a special issue of the international
journal Technological Forecasting and Social Change4). The AMPERE consortium comprises 22 institutions from Europe, Asia and the United States.

ADVANCEPIK (Germany)

The ADVANCE project started in 2013 and continues until the end of 2016, funded by EU. One ofthe project objectives is to improve model representation of end-use technologies and consumer
choices in order to make contribution to the IPCC AR6.

EMF30

Stanford University,
EMF(US)The EMF30 started in October 2013. This study considers the implications of the relationship between climate policy and air quality regulations, and of non-Kyoto radiative forcing projections uncertainties on climate policies, and makes a comprehensive assessment of a major increase in theuse of modern bio-energy.

often based on the assumptions that ever country, including developing countries,
makes the same GHG emissions reduction efforts with a universal carbon price(equal marginal abatement cost) under perfect global cooperation. Such assumptions, however, are characterized by unrealistically simplified world interpretation.
It should be noted that, without this understanding, only the model results arecited and the misunderstanding is spread in the process of their secondary use.
With that in mind, the impacts of climate policy under a broader range ofmore realistic assumptions close to the real world situation have been scrutinized,
especially after the publication of IPCC AR4. EFM27 and AMPERE projects introduced below are the cases of such efforts.
3. EMF27
The Energy Modeling Forum (EMF) organized by Stanford University has
conducted energy-environmental inter-model comparison studies over the nearlylast four decades since 1976. Significant number of the results learned from theexercise have been referred in the IPCC reports. The 27th EMF study exploredglobal “Technology Strategies for Achieving Climate Policy Objectives” in conjunction with region specific sub-projects; EMF 24 focusing on the United Statesand EMF 28 for the EU. 19 energy-economy and integrated assessment models
of universities and academic institutions from around the world, including RITE’s
DNE21+ model, participated in the EMF27.
The EMF 27 scenario matrix consists of 32 different technology and policy
assumptions. The results gained from the participating models produced the following topic focused papers: renewable energies, traditional fossil fuel resources,
bio-energy, energy efficiency, aerosols, and nuclear power. The EMF27 assessed
the impacts of the variation of different assumptions about future technology
availability and cost combined with different levels of climate policy, such as 550

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ppm CO2-eq target and 450 ppm CO2-eq target.
Fig. 1 shows development of shares in global final electricity use and global electricity share in final energy over time in the Base case, 550 ppm CO2eq.
and 450 ppm CO2eq. scenarios. As mitigation policies become more stringent, total amount of electricity used in the world gets relatively smaller toward 2050, but
it rather increases in 2100. In terms of the share of electricity in final energy, there
is a general trend toward electrification, especially after 2050 under the stringent
climate policy. Robust results across models show that increased electrification
with its de-carbonization is necessary to reduce CO2 emissions significantly for

Fig. 1: Global final electricity use in the Base, 550 ppm CO2eq., 450 ppm CO2eq. scenario (EMF27)3)

Fig. 2: F easibility matrix of technology variation scenario for different climate target (a) and Policy costs for
450 ppm CO2eq. scenario (b, c) (EMF27) 3)
Note: “ FullTech” full suite of technologies represented in models, “LowEI” low energy intensity compared to the reference case,“NoCCS” CCS excluded from technology portfolio, “NucOff” phase out of nuclear energy, “LimSW” share of electricity production from solar and wind is limited, “LimBio” primary bio-energy supply is limited, “Conv” wind, solar and bio-energy supply are
limited, “EERE” combination of low energy intensity, no CCS, and nuclear phase out, “LimTech” limitations of all energy mitigation technologies, including CCS, nuclear, solar, wind and bio-energy

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450 ppm CO2eq. target.
Fig. 2 illustrates feasibility matrix of technology portfolio for the Baseline,
550 ppm CO2eq., and 450 ppm CO2eq. scenarios (a), and policy costs for 450
ppm CO2eq. scenario (b, c). 10 models out of 11 models indicate feasibility for
450 ppm CO2eq. scenario with full technology deployment. Without CCS, however, only 4 models produce feasible technology solutions for 450 ppm CO2eq. scenario. Even with the feasible solutions of the no-CCS scenario, mitigation costs
jump up to 2.5 times higher relative to the reference scenario with full technology
portfolio. If global primary bio-energy potential is limited to 100 EJ/yr (LimBio),
mitigation costs to meet 450 ppm CO2eq target increase to 1.5 times higher thanthe policy costs for the reference scenario. There are the ranges in the estimatesof cost effects across models due to different configuration of each model, robust
results can be obtained through inter-model comparison exercises. For the RITE’s
DNE21+ model, the most expensive case was “No-CCS” scenario followed by“EERE”, the scenario for the combination of low energy intensity, no CCS, andnuclear phase out. There are some variations in the assessment of mitigation
costs, the overall implications of technology availability on mitigation costs are
consistent across models.
4. AMPERE
AMPERE（Assessment of Climate Change Mitigation Pathways and
Evaluation of the Robustness of Mitigation Cost Estimates）project is led by the
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and funded by the European Commission (external partners join on an in-kind contribution basis). Alongwith EMF27 exercise, the feasibility of significant emissions reduction for a varietyof mitigation technology portfolios is assessed in the AMPERE. Below is the caseassessment for the scenario of the resulting global GHG emission levels from thenear-term pledges by 2020 and extrapolated the mitigation effort to 2030.
The pathway in green of the Fig. 3 indicates the development of global
GHG emissions for the 450 ppm CO2eq. scenario under the optimal condition assuming immediate introduction of global wide climate policies. Global emissions
resulting from the pledges are subject to uncertainty, since some country pledges
are associated with conditions or are defined relative to an uncertain businessas usual path. Then, the blue trajectory follows a high ambition pledge pathway
by 2030 and the red one follows a low ambition pledges by 2030, and thereafter
both scenarios are adjusted to meet the 450 ppm CO2 eq. target in the long term.
Fig. 4 shows the average annual rate of CO2 emission growth/reduction between
2030-2050 and 2010-2050 in the 450 ppm CO2.eq scenarios (horizontal bars)
and historical distribution of annual emission reduction rates across different
countries of the world (20 year average between 1900 and 2009). With significant
emission reduction until 2030, the required annual emission reduction to meet
450 CO2eq. target diverges from the historical rates of change. If the emissions
pathways are locked into the low ambitious Copenhagen pledges to 2030, further
improvement is required after 2030. According to the analysis by RITE’s DNE21+

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model, more rapid emission reductions are required after 2030 thorough 2050,
compared to the results of other models. There are many non-feasible results
to meet the stringent target in model calculation, if there are technological constraints in the availability of CCS, nuclear and renewable energy.
There are two major policy implications. First of all, further global efforts
toward 2030 would be necessary. The other would be that more feasible andmoderate target could be on the table of negotiation because 450 ppm CO2eq.
corresponding to 2 degree target, often discussed as a long term target after the
IPCC AR4, is not realistically feasible, given the various barriers in our world.

Fig. 3: Development of global GHG emissions for the 450 ppm CO2eq scenarios4) Optimal (Green), Low
emissions with high ambition pledges (Blue), and High emission with low ambition pledges (Red)

Fig.4: Historical annual emission reduction rates and average annual rate of CO2emission reductions forthe 450 ppm CO2 eq. scenario4)24

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5. Integrated Assessment Modeling Consortium (IAMC)
The Integrated Assessment Modeling Consortium (IAMC) created in 2007
is an organization of scientific research organizations that facilitates to coordinate
interactions between IAMC members 5) and members of other scientific researchcommunities studying climate change such as the Climate Modeling (CM) andthe Impact, Adaptation, and Vulnerability (IAV). In the annual IAMC meetings,
the members discuss future direction of climate change research. Membership is
open to any organizations that conduct climate research, and RITE, as a memberof the IAMC, has made contribution to the community since its inception.
RITE will continuously participate in the international model comparison
projects to provide the results of RITE’s model assessment and to disseminate
relevant information internationally.

Reference1) IPCC, Climate Change 2007: Mitigation of Climate Change, Cambridge University Press (2007)2) K. Calvin et al., The role of Asia in mitigating climate change: Results from the Asia modeling exercise,
Energy Economics 34, S251-S260 (2012)3) V. Krey et al., Getting from here to there – energy technology transformation pathways in the EMF27
scenarios, Climatic Change (2013)4) K. Riahi et al., Locked into Copenhagen Pledges - Implications of short-term emission targets for thecost and feasibility of long-term climate goals, Technological Forecasting and Social Change (2013)5) Integrated Assessment Consortium (IAMC). http://www.globalchange.umd.edu/iamc/home/25

R&D Activities◦Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology Group

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Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology Group

Masayuki Inui
Deputy Group Leader【Key members】

Ryoji Noburyu, Researcher

Masayuki Inui, Chief Researcher

Naoto Kato, Researcher

Ken-ichi Inatomi, Associate Chief Researcher

Satoshi Hasegawa, Researcher

Takanobu Watanabe, Senior Researcher

Norihiko Takemoto, Researcher

Crispinus Omumasaba, Senior Researcher

Akira Watanabe, Researcher

Haruhiko Teramoto, Senior Researcher

Masanori Ogawa, Researcher

Toru Jojima, Senior Researcher

Takeshi Kubota, Researcher

Kazumi Hiraga, Senior Researcher

Shinichi Oide, Researcher

Yuya Tanaka, Senior Researcher

Takahisa Kogure, Researcher

Masako Suda, Senior Researcher

Naoki Saruya, Researcher

Yukihiro Kitade, Senior Researcher

Tatsuya Ono, Researcher

Shogo Yamamoto, Researcher

Mitsuhiro Arakane, Researcher

Taku Nishimura, Researcher

Atsuto Ida, Researcher

Koichi Toyoda, Researcher

Ryoma Hashimoto, Researcher

Keiro Watanabe, Researcher

Tomoya Maeda, Researcher

Global Biorefinery Trends and Research Overview of the
Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology Group
1. Introduction
The biorefinery is a relatively recent concept to encompass technologies
and industries that enable production of chemicals and liquid fuels from biomass.
Its market may have the potential to generate as much as $300 billion by 2030.
The biorefinery, along with information technology (IT), has been a key strategic mission of the U.S. since the 1990s, with advancement of technologies andindustries relevant to the implementation of the biorefinery vision a priority U.S.
policy to achieve a sustainable 21st century society less dependent on fossil resources. Similar to how IT-related ventures have contributed to expand their IT
businesses, many biorefinery-related venture businesses established since thesecond half of the 1990s have succeeded in attracting funds through stock listingover several years. The financial outlay of biorefinery ventures may exceed total
investments in IT businesses during the 1990s. The U.S. biofuel sector attracted
substantial support from the U.S. government and benefited from the continued
high price of crude oil. Over 200 corn-based ethanol plants were constructed andthe biofuel market expanded rapidly, consuming around 40% of corn produced in
the U.S.
However, the rapid expansion of large-scale bioethanol production was
widely blamed for a worldwide surge in food crop prices since corn-based feedstock necessary to sustain the bioethanol production meant that there was a direct competition between bioethanol and the global supply of a major food staple.
Therefore technological developments to avoid this competition with food materials have been carried out to use non-food agricultural residues (e.g. corn stover)26

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as the major component of biorefinery feedstock, with most governments in theworld also supporting these R&D efforts. Since cellulosic biofuels are more effective at reducing GHG (greenhouse gases) emissions compared to food-based
biofuels, and cellulosic materials are abundant in many countries, cellulosic biofuels are greatly anticipated to underlie cleaner fuels for global warming prevention.

2.Current state of U.S. bioethanol production and next-generation biofuels
Global bioethanol production in 2013 was estimated to be 22.5 billion gallons (F.O. Licht, etc), an increase of 1.5% from the previous year. Bioethanol production in the U.S. was also somewhat increased and it still accounted for ca. 60% (13.5 billion gallons) of the global production.
2-1. Renewable Fuel Standard 2 and modification of 2014 target
To increase the production and consumption of renewable fuels in the U.S.,
the government not only encouraged a feedstock change to avoid undesirable
competition with the food-supply but accordingly modified the Renewable FuelStandard (RFS). The original RFS of 2005 was upgraded to RFS2 in the Energy
Independent and Security Act of 2007 (Fig. 1). A turning point to non-food cellulosic materials never happened, however. On the contrary feedstock conversion
progress fully stopped. Thereafter, the U.S. Environmental Protect Association(EPA) has had to revise downward each consequent year's targeted productionof cellulosic ethanol after 2010 (Fig. 2). However, actual production volume ofcellulosic biofuels has not reached to the modified volumes since 2010.
In November 2013, EPA released modified targets of the 2014 applicationof the RFS2, where it proposed cutting the biofuels mandate for 2014 by 16% to15.21 billion gallons (total renewable fuels). This reduction is considered to be
due to an increase of U.S. oil production by shale energy revolution and a decrease of gasoline consumption. At the same time, the EPA increased cellulosic
biofuel target to 17 million gallons, which is ca. 3 times larger than the previous
year (6 million gallons). The increased cellulosic ethanol target of 2014 depends
on the starting of large-scale ethanol plants (10~20 million gallons per year) by

Fig.1: RFS2 biofuel mandate in U.S.

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Fig.2: RFS2 cellulosic biofuels mandate and modification

global major chemical companies or their venture businesses which use agricultural residues such as corn stover. Nevertheless, the start of operations is behindschedule by 3 to 4 years. The following chapter describes the reasons for the delay.
2-2. Current state and challenges of cellulosic ethanol production
Cost-competitiveness of cellulosic ethanol production has not beenachieved despite considerable research funding into technology development by
the U.S. government. The two key processes that constitute cellulosic ethanol
production, pre-treatment and fermentation entail the generation of side products
collectively called fermentation inhibitors in pre-treatment process. The impactthat these inhibitors exert on the efficiency of the latter ethanol fermentation process largely determine the efficiency of each cellulosic ethanol production process(Fig. 3).
Under milder pre-treatment conditions (temperature, time, etc.), a relatively large amount of cellulase enzyme used for cellulose saccharification is necessary. Since enzyme cost is a significant cost factor, it directly impacts the overall
ethanol production cost. Conversely, harsher pre-treatment conditions lower theamount of cellulase enzyme necessary but generate fermentation inhibitors more
liberally, and the efficiency of ethanol fermentation accordingly falls sharply.

Fig. 3: Obstacles to industrialization: Fermentation inhibitors

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Trade-offs between the severity of pre-treatment and the amount cellulose
enzyme necessary must therefore be made (Fig. 4). Presently, the cost of cellulase enzyme is estimated at $3～5 per gallon ethanol produced, making cellulosic
ethanol economically inefficient (ethanol price calculated from the market price ofgasoline is ca. $3).
Several attempts to improve the situation, including an engineered approach to inhibitor removal, improved inhibitor tolerance of fermentative microorganisms, etc., have not succeeded in solving the cost performance problems to
date.

Fig. 4: Obstacles to industrialization: Saccharification costs

2-3. Outlook of next generation biofuel Butanol
Compared to ethanol, butanol exhibits several advantages; it has highenergy content while being transportable via existing pipelines after mixing at oil
factories with gasoline due to its low water solubility.
There are two main approaches to efficient biobutanol production process under current development. The first is the improvement of traditional ABE
fermentation process using species of Clostridium bacteria and biomass sugars,
while the other one introduces biosynthesis pathways into industrial microbes
such as E. coli, yeasts, etc. to produce biobutanol. RITE previously announced
introduction of butanol synthesis genes into E. coli in a pioneering study. The
more recently announced possibility of isobutanol synthesis through intermediatechemicals of the branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis triggered technology
developments in a variety of microbes from these intermediates.
Recently, biobutanol is starting to attract attention as one componentof biojet fuels. According to an IEA report (IEA Energy Technology Perspective
2010), CO2 emissions from the aviation sector will become most significant, contributing 40% of total CO2 emission of the global transportation sector. Currently,
worldwide flights by aircrafts contribute 20% of the CO2 emissions of the global
transportation sector, but it is not easy to reduce these CO2 emissions from theaircrafts fundamentally. Therefore it is considered that the CO2 emissions of aircrafts must continue increasing with an increase in the number of passengers
from emerging countries and LCC (low cost carriers), even if technologies for29

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weight saving of the aircraft body progress. For this reason, utilization of sustainable biofuels in place of crude oil-based jet fuels is expected to reduce the proportion of CO2 emissions by the worldwide airline industry (Fig. 5).
Since butanol can be easily converted to jet fuels by oligomerization andhydrogenation (Fig. 6), some venture businesses in the U.S. have started technology developments and collaboration works of biobutanol production at commercial scale. Irrespective, the use of non-food biomass is eventually as essential
a requirement for sustainability as the cellulosic ethanol production.

Fig. 5: Measures against CO2 emissions of international aviation

Fig. 6: Biobutanol toward materials for biojet fuels

3. Green chemicals
The field of green (renewable) chemical production via bioprocessing
greatly differs in outlook from that of biofuels. Although green chemical production
requires more advanced technologies to produce compared to those required forbiofuels, a variety of high-value product groups and integrated market size are predicted and an easier business model than that of biofuels seems can be created.
Global major chemical companies are constructing production systems byusing renewable resources as raw materials. These efforts are considered to aim
at making sustainable production systems to reduce the dependence on fossil
resources. Therefore, these companies have launched collaboration works withventure businesses which have advanced technologies, and started technology
developments to replace their fossil resources with renewable ones.
Several venture companies with cellulosic ethanol production as the main
business plan changed plans to produce green chemicals as an immediate goal.
In these business plans, they use C6 sugars derived from food-based biomass
like corn as a raw material because economical volumes for green chemicals are
considerably smaller than those required for biofuels, leading to little criticism.
Nevertheless, the use of non-food biomass like corn stover or switchgrass is
eventually an essential requirement for sustainability, just as with biofuels.

4. Technology development: the RITE Bioprocess(Growth-Arrested Bioprocess)
RITE has developed an efficient biomass utilization technology based30

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on intrinsic characteristics of coryneform bacteria. The so-called "RITE Bioprocess" (a growth-arrested bioprocess) has so far enabled elevated productivities ofgreen chemicals and biofuels. This pioneering technology enables the simultaneous utilization of mixed sugars from cellulosic biomass in biorefinery settings.
In a collaboration with a private company, its application in a cellulosic ethanol
production system earned the Grand Prize at the 18th Nikkei Global Environment
Award (see RITE Today 2009). What is more, the process has evoked the interest of international academia and their researchers, earning our group leader
the 2011 fellowship award from The Society for Industrial Microbiology (SIM), thefirst Japanese scientist to receive the prestigious award (see RITE Today 2012,
Topics). Starting in 2011, collaboration work on cellulosic biofuels with NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) founded by U.S. Department of Energy has
yielded interesting results (see RITE Today 2013, Topics).
Moreover a research group based in Germany has followed our footsteps
and carried out additional research using coryneform bacteria; they have independently confirmed the capabilities and attributes of our innovative bioprocess,which is characterized particularly by a clear separation between product production and the growth phase of the bacteria catalysts. The main technological features of the RITE Bioprocess are described in the following paragraphs.
4-1. Technological attributes of the RITE Bioprocess
In the RITE Bioprocess, coryneform bacteria are engineered to have an
optimum metabolic pathway for a particular target chemical. The cells are grown
on a large scale and packed to very high densities in a reactor in order to maximize the catalyst/volume ratio at the production stage (Fig. 7). Sugars are subsequently added to initiate bioconversion as a substrate under oxygen deprivation; the tight packaging effectively ceases growth of the bacteria while keeping
them metabolically active. As a result, the target chemical is produced by growtharrested cells, with a larger share of the substrate being converted into usefulproducts without any additional natural rich medium or external energy.

Fig. 7: Comparison of RITE Bioprocess with conventional bioprocess31

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The key to achieving high efficiency and high productivity is the effective
separation of the microbial growth phase from the production phase of the target
compound. This manner of using bacterial cells as if they were simple chemical
catalysts enables one to produce large amounts of chemicals in short periodsof time, and unlike conventional bioprocesses, the productivities reached, expressed as space-time-yield (STY), are comparable to those of chemical processes.
4-2. Simultaneous utilization of C6 and C5 sugars
Lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysates constitute complex mixtures of different sugars (Fig. 8). They compose pentoses (C5 sugars such as xylose and arabinose) derived from hemicelluloses, as well as hexoses (C6 sugars such as glucose and fructose). By comparison, starch from food grains such as corn, wheat
etc. and sugar from sugarcane contain only hexoses. Therefore, for achieving ahigh yield per substrate, it is essential for microorganisms used in biofuel processes to simultaneously utilize both pentoses and hexoses. Several genes involved in the catabolism of C5 sugars into have been introduced into coryneformbacteria, and the resultant recombinant bacteria applied to the bioprocess. These
modifications allow for efficient utilization of cellulosic materials, and faster conversions with essentially no lag phase.

Fig. 8: Expanding usage of mixed sugars from non-food biomass

4-3. Tolerance against fermentation inhibitors
Fermentation inhibitors include phenols, furans and organic acids such as
acetic acid. These compounds are by-products formed during the pre-treatmentof lignocellulosic biomass (Fig. 3). As exemplified by hydrothermal treatment,such treatments are typically very harsh but are necessary to break the recalcitrant biomass fiber and thereby facilitate enzymatic hydrolysis. As mentioned inchapter 2, their strong inhibition has been known for many years to be a cause ofconcern to the biofuel manufacturer and they represent one of the biggest problems associated with conventional bioprocesses. However, the RITE Bioprocess
has been demonstrated to be insensitive to these fermentation inhibitors, since
their action is to inhibit cell growth, which is a separate phase from the production

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phase in the RITE Bioprocess. Furthermore, it has been extensively demonstrated that the main metabolic pathways necessary to produce compounds of interest on the one hand remain active under the conditions of the growth arrested
RITE Bioprocess and on the other hand are virtually not affected by the presenceof fermentation inhibitors in quantities that would hinder conventional processes.
4-4. Future technology development
We are constantly expanding the range of product options that the RITE
Bioprocess can support. To this end, we implement global analysis tools including system biology based on metabolome analysis, metabolic pathway design,and genome engineering based on the genome database of coryneform bacteria.
In addition to the successful production of ethanol, or L- and D-lactic acids andsuccinic acid, we are developing a whole range of new targets addressing large
market needs or high value added compounds comprising butanol, aromaticcompounds, and amino acids (Fig. 9).
Although the economical production of aromatic compounds has been achallenge when using conventional fermentation technologies, their production
by industrial biotechnology is still an important aim since these materials, once
made from sustainable raw materials such as biomass, are expected by leading
Japanese companies to become building blocks for advanced products such as
electric devices, hardware, and automobiles. In addition, the RITE Bioprocess
shows higher cost performance than conventional fermentation processes suchas amino acids manufactured by aerobic fermentation.
Because aerobic processes require air compressors and agitation motors
to ventilate and mix liquids, respectively, aerobic processes involve additional
equipment and expensive operational cost. We have already begun to develop
production processes for several amino acids by using the RITE Bioprocess.

Fig. 9: Production pathways of coryneform bacteria designed for acyclic chemicals and biofuels33

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5. RITE’s effort for industrialization
5-1. Establishment of a venture company
As described earlier, the RITE Bioprocess has unique features such as
high productivity, simultaneous utilization of mixed sugars and tolerance against
fermentation inhibitors, evoking the interest of national as well as international industry powerhouses. In response to many requests and in order to accelerate therealization of biorefinery, we established Green Earth Institute Co., Ltd. in September 2011 as a world-reading venture company to provide biofuels and green
chemicals through the RITE Bioprocess. The overarching goal of establishing
GEI is not simply industrialization of the RITE Bioprocess but to contribute to theconservation of global environment through efforts against global warming andhence the realization of sustainable post-fossil resources society (http://www.gei.
co.jp/index.html).
In January 2014, a new research center (Green Earth Research Center),which has a pilot production facility, opened at the Kazusa Akademia Park in
Chiba prefecture, where the production of chemicals is going to be demonstrated
by using non-food biomass (C5 & C6 sugars) toward a large scale production.
5-2. Joint research for cellulosic ethanol production with NREL
NREL, founded by DOE (U.S. Department of energy) in 1974, is the only
national laboratory solely dedicated to advancing renewable energy and energy
efficiency technologies. It has accumulated good research data regarding mixed
sugar preparations from various cellulosic materials and holds significant expertise in pre-treatment technologies applicable to them.
NREL started joint research with RITE based on our RITE Bioprocess in
2011, because NREL paid attention to our attempts to reduce the effect of fermentation inhibitors. Consequently, the prospects of solving the problems of fermentation inhibitors at a research level by combining our mutual research results
are apparent. Now we have set up efforts with the participation of GEI, targetedat early actualization of an economically efficient production process for ethanolusing non-food biomass.
5-3. Research on biobutanol
As described in the previous section, we
conduct the development of a highly efficient technology to produce butanol from non-food biomass
by using RITE Bioprocess with coryneform bacteria
harboring butanol biosynthesis ability. In order toobtain high conversion rates (sugar-based yield) tobutanol from mixed sugars derived from cellulosic
biomass, we investigated improved performance ofthe cells by metabolic engineering, achieving high
STY with respect to the butanol production (Fig. 10).
Fig. 10: Metabolic engineering for butanol production

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It is known that butanol has strong cell toxicity against cell growth andinhibits microbial butanol production, but coryneform bacteria show much better
tolerance to butanol than other industrial microbes. Therefore high production
performance is expected for the coryneform bacteria. In addition, we started a
new R&D project aimed at materials for biojet fuels based on non-food biomass
as raw materials (see Topics).

6. Ending remarks
Immediate goals for the joint research with NREL are the economically efficient production of fuel ethanol from non-food biomass resources, and it shouldmake impact on other chemicals other than fuel ethanol. For example, the manufacture of as wide a range of green chemicals as possible must be attained whena supply of low cost mixed sugars from non-food biomass becomes available andto be used for biorefinery. Based on the joint research with NREL, we hope tomake efforts for the realization and expansion of biorefinery industry which contributes towards global warming prevention, environmental protection and construction of a sustainable society (Fig. 11).

Fig. 11: Early realization of biorefinery35

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Chemical Research Group【Key members】

Shin-ich Nakao
Group Leader

Takashi Yamaguchi, Deputy Group Leader,

Shuhong Duan, Researcher

Associate Chief Researcher

Junpei Fujiki, Researcher

Naotsugu Ito, Chief Researcher

Takashi Saito, Researcher

Takayuki Higashii, Chief Researcher

Tsuyoshi Watabe, Researcher

Kazuya Goto, Senior Researcher

Hidetaka Yamada, Researcher

Kenichi Ikeda, Senior Researcher

Shin Yamamoto, Researcher

Teruhiko Kai, Senior Researcher

Kota Yamazaki, Researcher

Tsuguhiro Kato, Senior Researcher

Fuminori Ito, Researcher

Katsunori Yogo, Senior Researcher
Firoz Alam Chowdhury, Researcher

Challenges for Advanced Industrialization of CO2 CaptureTechnologies and Development of Inorganic Membranes
and Membrane Reactors for H2 Energy Production
1. CO2 capture technologies
CO2 capture and storage (CCS) entails CO2 (a greenhouse gas) capture
from fossil fuel combustion gas emissions from large emission sources such as
electric power plants and factories, and subsequent containment of the captured
CO2 into geological formations for storage or sequestration.
Current CO2 capture costs from emission sources are estimated to beabout 60% of the CCS costs. Therefore, reduction of CO2 capture costs is an important aspect for practical application of CCS.
The Chemical Research Group studies various CO2 capture technologies,
with a special focus on chemical absorption, membrane separation, and adsorption methods that have generated significant outcomes for the progress of worldwide research in this particular field. Materials development, processing, andsystem investigation are conducted in the group.
We developed innovative chemical absorbents under the Cost Saving CO2
Capture System by Utilizing Low-grade Waste Heat (COCS) project and the CO2
Ultimate Reduction in Steelmaking Process by Innovative Technology for Cool
Earth 50 (COURSE 50) project that enabled a CO2 capture energy consumptionof 2.0 GJ/t-CO2 and CO2 regeneration from the absorbents at temperatures ofless than 100°C that are lower than the required temperature of 120°C asfeatured in the steel-making industry.
One of the outstanding developed absorbents was selected for application
in a commercial CCS plant owned by a private Japanese company.
In membrane separation, we are aiming for a CO2 capture cost targetof 1500 JPY/t-CO2 by developing molecular gate membrane technologies toselectively capture CO2 from H2-containing pressurized gases such as that in the36

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integrated coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC).
Our investigations demonstrated the excellent separation performanceof new types of dendrimer/polymer hybrid membranes for separating CO2 from
CO2/H2 gas mixtures. RITE and three private companies have established a joint
research association for developing membrane modules and separation systems
for practical application.
Recently, we succeeded in further improving the separation performanceby modification of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer materials; the target separation performance was obtained at 0.7 MPa.
Based on our technologies, we are also investigating solid sorbents forCO2 capture to efficiently reduce energy costs and methods for evaluation of
the CO2 capture process. We are currently examining the synthesis of novel
solid sorbents capable of achieving a 1.5 GJ/t-CO2 for regeneration energy. We
have successfully developed a new solid sorbent that can be regenerated at low
temperatures. Evaluation for practical use is now underway.
As mentioned above, we are promoting innovative CO2 capture technologies, thus establishing the foundations for the next generation, while developing
practical technologies that are acceptable to industries.
Moreover, we have developed seed technologies such as CO2 separation
by zeolite membranes, H2 separation by palladium membranes, a hybrid CO2
capture system that combines the membrane technology with chemical sorption
processes, and baroplastics that have low-temperature flow under high pressuresfor various purposes. More specifically, the membrane/absorption hybrid CO 2
capture technology has been used in a private company.
2. Development of CO2 capture technology by chemical absorption systems
CO2 capture by chemical absorption is a prospective technology for separating CO2 from a CO2-containing gas, CO2 is chemically absorbed in an aminebased solution and released by heating the solution. This technology is suitablefor CO2 separation from normal-pressure gases generated in industries.
For the last decade, we have been developing highly efficient CO2 absorbents that can lower the consumption energy for CO2 separation, which is themain concern for chemical absorption systems.
Between 2004 and 2008, the implementation of the COCS project wasassessed for capturing and separating CO 2 from steel-making blast furnace
gases. Various types of high-performance absorbents were developed under
this project. The CO2 capture energy consumption of the absorbents (termed as
RITE solvent) was significantly reduced when compared with that of the MEA(monoethanolamine)-based solvent that is typically used as a benchmark (Fig. 1).
A follow-up project (COURSE 50) was examined between 2008 and 2012that was aimed at capturing CO2 in the steel-making industry. Under this project,
we achieved our target CO2 capture energy consumption of 2.0 GJ/t-CO2. Moreover, the development of breakthrough absorbents that enabled CO2 regeneration at temperatures (<100°C) lower than the conventional temperature (120°C)

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Fig. 1: Cost-saving CO2 capture system scheme (COCS project)

Fig. 2: Snapshots of the testing units

was successfully achieved (Fig. 2).
Starting in 2013 and intending to finish in 2017, we are conducting the
COURSE 50 Step 2 project where we develop absorbents with higher performances, enabling a reduced CO2 capture cost in the steel-making industry.
As additional outcomes of the research and development (R&D) on highly
energy-efficient absorbents, we developed chemical absorbents with excellent
CO2 absorption and desorption performances, which enable CO2 regeneration
under high pressures.
The newly developed solvent shows a high-CO2 recovery and high-CO2
absorption and desorption rates. This suggests that the solvent can recover CO2
with reduced energy consumption under high pressures. The total energy for CO2
separation and capture, including the compression process, has been estimatedto be lower than 1.2 GJ/t-CO2.

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3. CO2 and H2 separation using polymeric membranes
The government of Japan has set a goal to reduce CO2 emissions to halfof the current emission levels by 2050 under the project “Cool Earth 50”. One
promising means of reducing CO2 emissions is the development of a joint integrated coal gasification combined cycle and CO2 capture and storage system(IGCC–CCS) (Fig.3).
In the IGCC-CCS process, membranes are used for CO2 separation, andplay an important role for reducing CO2 capture costs. Estimates indicate that theCO2 capture cost from a pressurized gas stream using a membrane is 1500 JPY/
t-CO2 or less.
We are currently developing a CO2 molecular gate membrane, with thegoal of producing a high-performance separation membrane. Fig. 4 shows aschematic illustration of the working principles of a CO2 molecular gate. The pathway for gas molecules is solely occupied by CO2, which acts as a gate to block
the passage of other gases. Consequently, the amount of N2 or H2 diffusing to theother side of the membrane is greatly reduced and high concentrations of CO2
can be obtained.

Fig. 3: Schematic of IGCC-CO2 capture system

Fig. 4: Schematic diagram of the molecular gate membrane

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Fig. 5: Separation performance of PVA-based molecular gate membranes(QCO2: CO2 permeance;α: selectivity)

Furthermore, new types of dendrimer/polymer hybrid membranes with anexcellent separation performance for separating CO2 from CO2/H2 gas mixtures
were successfully developed, enabling high CO2 permeance and CO2/H2 selectivity (Fig. 5).
Based on these materials, RITE, Kuraray Co., Ltd., Nitto Denko Corporation, and Nippon Steel & Sumikin Engineering Co., Ltd. established Molecular
Gate Membrane Module Technology Research Association, whereby membranes, and membrane modules and separation systems are being developed(Fig. 6). Kuraray Co., Ltd. and RITE are collaborating to develop membranes witha target CO2 capture cost of 1500 JPY/t-CO2.
Recently, we succeeded in improving separation performance by modification of PVA polymer materials, and the target separation performance wasachieved at 0.7 MPa.

Fig. 6: Development of membrane modules in collaboration with private companies

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In the future, we will investigate the effect of pressure on the membrane
modules for practical use.
During the development of CO2 molecular gate membranes, RITE conducted a joint research with the US Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) under a recognized project for the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF)*.
*CSLF is a ministerial-level international climate change initiative that is focused on the development of improved cost-effective technologies for the separation and capture of CO2 for its transport and long-term safe storage.

4. Advanced development of CO2 capture by solid sorbents
The imminent commercial implementation of the CCS technology is strongly desirable. Recent R&D on CCS has focused on demonstration and feasibility
studies of commercial-scale systems. However, a low-cost CO2 capture technology with lower energy consumption is required. RITE has conducted a project
funded by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) since 2010.
The research objectives are to develop solid sorbents for an energy-saving
CO2 capture system and to establish evaluation standards of CO2 capture systems. We are endeavoring to fabricate novel solid sorbents that are applicable toCO2 capture from coal-fired power plants with a target capture of 1.5 GJ/t-CO2 (Fig. 7).
Solid sorbents prepared from amines and porous supports exhibit similar
CO2 sorption characteristics to those of liquid amine solvents. Additionally, solid
sorbents have the advantage of a lower expected heat duty for regeneration
processes. Following exchange of information on solid sorbents with NETL,
RITE has started to develop new solid sorbents using amine compounds, as
synthesized by RITE.
The relationship between amine structures and their CO2 desorption per-Fig. 7: Development of a CO2 solid sorbent scheme

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Fig. 8: Performance of a CO2 solid sorbent systemformances was established by computational chemistry. The finding led to thefabrication of a more efficient solid sorbent in terms of desorption performanceand the sorption capacity (Fig. 8).
RITE conducted simulation studies to accurately estimate the energy
and cost of CO2 capture from coal-fired power plants (Fig. 9). The CO2 capture
process was modeled based on amine–CO2 chemical reactions. The energy efficiency of a power plant with a CO2 capture system was estimated to improve by
about 2% when a solid sorbent was alternatively used over an advanced liquidamine solvent.
Currently, we are evaluating the solid sorbent process using a lab-scale
adsorption/regeneration test apparatus, and also carrying out simulation studies
on the resulting efficiency penalty of power generation. Examination of the practical use of the RITE-developed solid sorbent is underway.

Fig. 9: Performance of a CO2 capture solid sorbent system implemented in power plants

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5. Development of inorganic membranes for H2 energy production
The Chemical Research Group has developed various CO 2 capture
technologies for CCS. In the future, we will study technologies for reducing CO2
emissions. For example, we will study H2 production processes, from renewableenergy sources (e.g., natural energy and biomass), that generate negligible CO2
emission levels. To this effect, RITE started to develop H 2 selective inorganic
membranes.
In 2013, RITE began a new project funded by Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). In this project, we develop H2
selective inorganic membranes (e.g., chemical vapor deposition-prepared silica
membranes, Pd membranes) in collaboration with Hiroshima University, Yamaguchi University, Utsunomiya University, Kogakuin University, and National Instituteof Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) for H2 separation from H2carrier gas (e.g., methylcyclohexane, ammonia). We also investigated methods
for evaluating the pore size distribution of the inorganic membranes.
In the same year, RITE also began another project funded by METI. For
this project, RITE collaborates with Chiyoda Corporation to conduct feasibility
studies on membrane reactors for compact and low-temperature operation systems for H2 generation from methylcyclohexane.
In the COURSE 50 Step 2 project, chemical vapor deposition-based silica
membranes will be developed as membrane reactors (water gas shift reactionand H2 separation) for H2 generation from blast furnace gas.

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CO2 Storage Research Group【Key members】
Makoto Nomura,
Deputy Group Leader, Chief Researcher

Kenji Yamaji
Group Leader

Yasuhiro Okabayashi, Senior Researcher
Yuko Kawata, Senior Researcher

Ziqiu Xue, Chief Researcher

Keiichi Tsujimoto, Senior Researcher

Tadashi Kanbayashi, Chief Researcher

Yuji Watanabe, Senior Researcher

Yoshu Ota, Associate Chief Researcher

Hiroyuki Azuma, Senior Researcher

Michimasa Magi, Senior Researcher

Tetsuma Toshioka, Senior Researcher

Tsutomu Hashimoto, Senior Researcher

Yasuhide Nakagami, Senior Researcher

Osamu Nishizawa, Senior Researcher

Osamu Takano, Senior Researcher

Osamu Shiragaki, Senior Researcher

Takeshi Myoi, Senior Researcher

Takahiro Nakajima, Senior Researcher

Yi Zhang, Researcher

Yoshinobu Otsuki, Senior Researcher

Keisuke Uchimoto, Researcher

Jun Kita, Senior Researcher

Kazuhiko Nakano, Researcher

Tamotsu Kiyama, Senior Researcher

Hyuck Park, Researcher

Saeko Mito, Senior Researcher

Takuma Ito, Researcher

Ryozo Tanaka, Senior Researcher

Moving toward Commercialization of
CO2 Storage Technologies
1. Overview
Controlling the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), a dominant componentof greenhouse gases (GHG), is an imminent issue. Carbon capture and storage(CCS) is a series of technologies for separating, capturing and geologically storing CO2 emitted from large emission sources, such as thermal power stations
and steel mills. CCS is considered as one of the effective CO2 mitigation options,
together with fuel energy efficiency, alternative fuel use, and renewable energies.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) positions CCS as an important decarbonising energy technology. Its “Energy Technology Perspectives 2012 (ETP
2012)” requires 17% contributions from CCS to CO2 emission reductions in 2050
to achieve the globally agreed-upon target of limiting average global temperature
increase to 2°C.
In this context, Japan launched the large-scale CCS demonstration projectin Tomakomai, Hokkaido. Currently, Japan CCS Corporation advances drilling
works and other preparations for the project start. In the demonstration project,more than 100 thousand tons of CO2 will be captured from a large-scale emission
source and injected into two geological formations (Moebetsu formation at 1,100- 1,200 meter depth and Takinoue formation at 2,400 - 3,000 meter depth) annually, while being monitored to ensure the safety of the project.

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RITE carries out a wide range of research and development programs on
geological storage of CO2, a Japan-China CCS-EOR project, and a global CCS
trend survey program in partnership with international bodies. RITE aims to apply
the outcome of our programs to the large-scale CCS demonstration project andto facilitate the implementation of CCS in Japan.
2. Research and Development of geological storage of CO2
Geological storage of CO2 includes injecting CO2 into oil fields to enhance
oil recovery (EOR); injecting CO2 into coal seams to enhance methane recovery(ECBM); sequestrating CO2 in depleted gas fields; and storing CO2 in deep saline
aquifer. The deep saline aquifer for storing CO2 has impermeable caprock formations (mudstone layer) with high sealing properties above the aquifer (sandstoneFig. 1: Concept of geological storage of CO2

Fig. 2: R&D on CO2 geological storage technologies

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layer). Thus, once injected, CO2 can be stably and safely stored for a long periodof time.
Fig. 2 shows RITE’s study works on geological storage of CO2: evaluatingstorage performance (building geological models), analyzing CO2 behavior in reservoir (monitoring and numerical simulation of CO2 behavior), and analyzing CO2
migration from reservoir (numerical simulation of CO2 migration and developing
methods for offshore environmental impact assessment). Furthermore, RITE is
documenting best practice manuals based on our work and the lessons we havelearned from the projects in and out of Japan.

Fig. 3: History of RITE’s R&D

2-1. Development of techniques of evaluating storage performance
RITE is developing methods of evaluating storage performance under two
programs: “establishing a Japan-specific geological formation model” and “developing methods of analyzing a groundwater flow”.
In order to establish a Japan-specific geological formations model, we arelooking to the geological models and characterization often used in oil and gas
fields, clarifying to what extent they can be applied to CCS, and establishing CCSspecific modeling to characterization. Compared to oil exploration, available data
in CCS is insufficient from cost and leakage prevention perspectives. The number
of wells and data from seismic surveys are limited in CCS. Accordingly, theuncertainty over geological characterization and reservoir models increases,
greatly affecting on simulated results such as CO2 injectivity and CO2 distribution
projection. RITE is developing methods of creating geological formation models
by combining insufficient geological information with statistical analysis. Taking
Nagaoka site’s sand-mud alternate formations as an example, we examined
geological characterization based on limited geological and geophysical data andhas successfully built a reservoir model that is critical to analyzing the behavior of
CO2.
In order to develop methods of analyzing a groundwater flow, we presumed that CO2 is geologically stored in the coastal areas of Japan, and collected46

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Fig. 4: Geological models based on 3D seismic survey

existing geological data to create a hydro-geological model. Using the model, thegroundwater flow was simulated. It was found that: pre-injection salinity concentration distribution in the groundwater is a key factor to estimate the environmental impact of CO2 injection on brine and its intrusion into shallow geological formations; and more precise estimation of the groundwater flow requires physical rockproperties, such as porosity and permeability, on the basis of core samples froma storage site, instead of literature values.
2-2. Analyzing CO2 behavior within reservoir
In order to enable massive deployment of geological storage of CO2, it isimportant to monitor the injected CO2 in a deep reservoir and demonstrate the effective and safe storage of CO2. To this end, RITE is comprehensively analyzing
the data from physical loggings at Nagaoka site to clarify the mechanisms of storing CO2 and better simulate the long-term behavior of CO2. Also, RITE is actively
developing other technologies on geological storage of CO2, including fiber-optic
sensing for monitoring geological formations deformation.
- Monitoring geological deformation with fiber-optic cables
In addition to temperatures and pressures, monitoring geologicalformations deformation, particularly the continuous monitoring in a depth
direction, is critical in evaluating the integrity of geological storage of CO2. RITE
has been developing monitoring of geological formations deformation in fiberoptic sensing and established basic technologies of measuring the deformation
using optic fiber cables. To aim for commercialization of the basic technologies,
we tested fiber optic cables by installing them in a 300-meter-deep well in 2012and successfully measured geological formations deformation accompanied by
CO2 injection. We will continue the field test until the end of 2013 to tackle othertechnical issues toward commercialization.

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Fig. 5: Measurement Results Image using fiber-optic cables

Under commercial conditions, fiber optic cables fit in with geological storage of CO2 are desirable. Thus, RITE is developing a fiber optic cable that is
sufficiently robust and highly sensitive to temperature, pressure, and deformation
when installed in the subsurface.
- Analysis with X-ray CT scanner
To evaluate long-term integrity of geological storage of CO2 in deep reservoir, it is important to understand CO2 behavior in heterogeneous reservoir and toreveal the replacement mechanism between formation brine and CO2. Laboratory experimental studies about the effects of heterogeneity in saturated porous

Fig. 6: Visualized CO2 distribution in core samples48

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sandstone on CO2 distribution provide important clues for developing tools thatpredict the behavior of multi-phased fluid flow in the up-scaled field storage site.
X-ray CT imaging technique enables in-situ monitoring of the multi-phased fluid
flow. On the basis of X-ray CT image analyses, RITE conducts technological development in evaluating petrophysical properties quantitatively from their relationships to rock porosity and degree of fluid saturation.
- Monitoring with Permanent OBC
Monitoring the behavior of CO2 will be a key focus for research towardcommercial deployment of CCS. One of the most promising monitoring methods
is “Time-Lapse 3D seismic survey”. Its effective offshore application is a permanent ocean bottom cable (OBC) system. In the OBC system, sensor modules
are deployed in the seabed of a target area, enabling efficient, cost-effective andhigh-quality measurement. RITE has so far conducted field tests of the system
off the coast of Tomakomai (Hokkaido) and Hiratsuka (Kanagawa prefecture). In
2013, the OBC system was installed in the target seabed of the Tomakomai largescale demonstration project. Preparations to simultaneously conduct time-lapse
3D seismic surveys and microseismic measurement are currently underway.

Fig. 7: Time-lapse 3D seismic images using Permanent OBC- CO2 behavior at Nagaoka site
RITE conducted CO2 storage demonstration project in Nagaoka, Niigata
from July 2003 to January 2005. In the project, 10,400 tons of CO2 were injected
into a deep saline aquifer at 1,100 meter depth and cross-well seismic tomography survey and physical loggings were carried out to understand the behaviorof CO2 in the subsurface. On the basis of obtained data, RITE has developed along-term simulator for predicting the behavior of injected CO2.
Changes in physical properties in the area of observation wells were measured by physical loggings. CO2 distribution spreading in the depth direction of
the aquifer and the state of injected CO2 (whether in supercritical phase or dissolved in formation water) were estimated from the measurement results.

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In 2013, RITE further conducted physical logging to check post-injection
storage state of CO2. History matching was carried out using the logging results
to advance the numerical simulation of long-term CO2 behavior. Although there
have been many demonstration projects of geological storage of CO2 in theworld, Nagaoka is the only project that is continuously monitoring the CO2 behavior even after the end of CO2 injection. Thus, global attention has been put on our
results.
2-3. Analyzing CO2 migration from reservoir
RITE is developing simulation models for CO2 leakage from reservoir as apart of our safety assessment technology development program.
Simulating CO2 leakage from reservoir to seawater column requires two
kinds of models, one of which simulates CO2 migration within geological formations and the other simulates CO2 dispersion in seawater. The model for geological formations simulates CO2 migrating from the reservoir to the seabed, presuming that faults and abandoned wells serve as leaking pathway. Simulated results
show that the model for geological formations needs to be site-specific to a target
storage site and CO2 distribution in the reservoir needs to be used as an initialvalue. A leakage rate derived from the geological model is in turn used as a default value in the model for dispersion in seawater.
To simulate CO2 dispersion, RITE is developing models of simulating CO2
behavior in gas state (bubbles) and in dissolved state. When CO2 leaks from theseabed in the form of bubbles, it moves upwards due to buoyancy and gradually
dissolves into seawater, while affected by seawater flow, temperature, and others.
Therefore, the model was designed to calculate both the behavior of CO2 bubbles

Fig. 8: Simulated CO2 migration in geological formation (CO2 saturation distribution in fault)50

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and its dissolution into seawater. Simulated results show that CO2 dispersion is
intricately affected by stratification, water temperature, background water flow,
and bubble-driven rising flow.
To clarify the impact of increased CO2 concentration caused by CO2 leakage on marine organisms, RITE is updating the database of the impacts on
marine organisms with the latest knowledge and continuing the analysis. Furthermore, the methods of distinguishing leaked CO2 from natural fluctuations in
CO2 concentration have been developed for CO2 monitoring in the ocean. It was
found that abnormalities caused by CO2 leakage can be detected by measuring
water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and pH values using conventional
equipment.

Fig. 9: Simulated CO2 bubble size and leakage rate

2-4. Preparing CCS Best Practice Manuals
In 1996, the first-ever CO2 storage project (in aquifer at 800m depth) started at Sleipner in Norway. Many CO2 geological storage projects followed in Europe and the United States. The knowledge from the projects has been accumulated in the form of project reports. Best practice manuals started being published
as a compilation of the comprehensive knowledge and site-specific experiencesome years later. Around this time, laws and regulations for CCS businesses
were formulated. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) incorporated
regulations for geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide into the existing UIC Program regulatory framework, setting up a new class of wells, Class VI. In Europe,
the European Commission issued the Directive on geological storage of CO2(a.k.a. “CCS Directive”) and released its guidance documents to promote a coherent implementation of the CCS Directive throughout the EU. In private sector,
Norway-based DNV KEMA independently set up a certification framework and51

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published guidelines to help CCS project get authorized in permitting procedures.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan released a
guideline “For safe operation of a CCS demonstration project” for implementing
a large-scale demonstration project in Japan in 2009. The guideline describes
standards to be followed from the safety and environmental viewpoints in implementing the project. Meanwhile, RITE conducted basic researches, technological developments, Nagaoka CO2 injection project (in July 2003 through January2005), and ongoing post-injection CO2 monitoring, thus accumulating a wealth ofknowledge of CCS technologies.
On the basis of the knowledge, RITE is preparing “Japan’s best practicemanuals of CCS” as technological reference for domestic developers who want tolaunch a CCS project at home or abroad. As shown in Fig. 10, our best practicemanuals cover every CCS technology as a collection of global technological casestudies for general purposes. In parallel, we are documenting Nagaoka project,
Japan’s first CO2 injection project as a separate case study. In future, we will incorporate knowledge from ongoing large-scale demonstration project at Tomakomai into the case study.

Fig. 10: Documents and case studies in CCS

Fig. 11: Registration and how to use data base52

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Our best practice manuals of CCS discuss a wide range of CCS technologies, thus the information is expected to keep growing. To efficiently use and register the cumulative information in the manuals, we are now creating a database
before the manuals are published in print. Fig. 11 shows a database system thatfacilitates registering and using information in the best practice manuals and casestudies.
For better use of the best practice manuals and case studies, accessibilityof users to the database is an important issue. Thus, we are proposing multiple
ways of access according to the purpose of use (see Fig. 12). Indexing by CCS
phase and by technology will be explained here.
In indexing by CCS phase, data is associated with each phase of a project, so that a user can refer to the case study corresponding to the phase where
his/her project is in progress. In indexing by technology, data is associated withinformation specific to a certain technology, so that the user can refer to thecase study and its relative information on specific technology. In addition, “CCS
technological case study map” is going to be developed for visual aided search.
Wordbook, abbreviation lists, comparative information, and history on CCS technology will be documented in future.
Collecting information was almost finished. The database is now in a

Fig. 12: Indexing structure of database for various use

process of designing and registering data. Draft database will be complete in the
middle of FY 2014.
3. Japan-China CCS-EOR project
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a series of technologies that
captures and geologically stores CO2 emitted from fossil fuel combustion and willremain critically important to combat climate change. Among others, a CCS-EOR
project involving CO2-EOR is expected to be a driver of the early deployment of
CCS technologies.

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There are many potential CCS-EOR sites in China. The widespread use
and implementation of CCS-EOR is highly expected and CCS-EOR has been experienced in some oilfields. However, expected enhancement in oil recovery wassometimes difficult to achieve and the efficiency has been a pressing challenge inthe technological developments in CCS-EOR.
On November 8th, 2009, the 4th Japan-China Forum on Energy Saving
and Environmental Protection was held in Beijing and the agreements on JapanChina Energy Saving and Environmental Protection projects were signed. At thetime, RITE and China Oil Foreign Affairs Office signed the Japan-China CCSEOR cooperation agreement.
This agreement led RITE to work in a partnership with China National
Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) in developing CCS-EOR technologies. RITE coorganized with CNPC the CCS-EOR workshops (2009 and 2010), Energy Saving
and Environment Protection, and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Workshop (2011).
Members of RITE and CNPC visited CCS and CCS-EOR related facilities/sites
in both countries under the partnership. RITE contributed greatly to CNPC
advancing its technology and showed that improving monitoring technology thatcan closely monitor injected CO2 behavior is critical to improving the efficiency of
CCS-EOR.
In 2013, studies on oil field application of the monitoring technology havestarted. RITE and CNPC reached an important milestone of selecting prospective
oilfields for demonstrating RITE’s technology. Researchers visited a candidate
site, exchanged information on the technology and identified technical challenges
specific to CCS-EOR in China to demonstrate the effectiveness of RITE’s monitoring technique.

Fig. 13: Concept of CCS-EOR

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RITE is going to propose a deployment plan of the monitoring technique in the candidate site and to clarify the effects of the deployment through afeasibility study. RITE is poised to proceed with the studies toward a new CCSEOR monitoring demonstration project. Furthermore, under the support of plantengineering companies, we will come up with a business model for CCS-EOR in
China.
4. Co-operation with International Organizations and Survey of Global CCS
Activities
RITE contributes to accelerating CCS deployment through co-operation
with international organizations and also monitors CCS activities in the world.
It is essential to collaborate and share knowledge with other countries throughsuch international organizations in order to address a number of challenges for
CCS implementation, including economics, policies, regulations and public acceptance. The following are an outline and updates on the international bodies towhich RITE contributes—the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF),
the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme (IEAGHG) and the London Convention—and the overview of CCS activities in the world.
- CSLF and its Recent Activities
CSLF was established in 2003 as an international initiative to promote research, demonstration and commercialization of CO2 capture and the geologicalstorage and industrial utilization of the captured CO2 (CCUS) through international co-operation. CSLF is operated by the US Department of Energy as secretariat
and is currently composed of 22 nations, including Japan, and the European
Commission. Its activities are conducted by two groups: one is the Policy Group
that consists of policy-makers; and the other is the Technical Group that has representatives from private companies and research institutes. A major activity of
theirs is to hold a Ministerial Meeting every two years. RITE has been a memberof the Technical Group since 2009.
Its fifth Ministerial Meeting was held in the USA in November 2013 where
it was reaffirmed that the research and development, demonstration and global
deployment of CCS must be accelerated. It was also agreed to adopt sevenkey actions needed for CCS deployment such as the development of incentive
mechanisms and to set up a sub-committee under the Policy Group to have discussions on CSLF’s future activities which could be unprecedented co-operation.
- IEAGHG and its Recent Activities
IEAGHG was established in 1991 as an implement agreement under theInternational Energy Agency (IEA) with the aims of evaluating greenhouse gas
reduction technologies, promoting the deployment of these technologies, disseminating outcomes from evaluation studies and promoting international collaboration. It has put the focus on CCS among a number of GHG reduction technologies since its early days. The organization is funded by 20 contracting parties,55

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including Japan, and 23 sponsors from the industrial and research sectors. Representing Japan, RITE has participated in its Executive Committee since 2009.
Its major activities include operating various CCS expert networks and organizing meetings for the networks as well as international conferences. In recent
years, CO2 storage related networks, i.e. those for monitoring, modelling, risk
assessment and environmental research, have placed emphasis on knowledge
sharing among a wider range of experts by organizing joint meetings for multiple
networks. IEAGHG is proceeding with the preparations for the 12th International
Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies (GHGT-12) to be held in
Texas, USA, in October 2014.
- London Convention and its Recent Activities
CO2 storage under the seabed has been allowed internationally since theamendment of the 1996 Protocol to the London Convention entered into force
in 2007. RITE has participated in meetings for its contracting parties and relatedscientific meetings for science-based information sharing as a member of theJapanese delegation.
The Protocol was amended in 2009 to allow CO2 trans-boundary movement but the amendment hasn’t come into force yet due to shortage of the number of parties who has ratified. Since the amendment, activities have been carriedout to clarify where responsibility lies in a case where exported CO2 is injected
and a case where CO2 is injected in the same geological formation by more than
one country or where injected CO2 potentially moves across a national boundary.
The locus of responsibility for the latter was incorporated in the existing offshore
CO2 storage guidelines in 2012 and that for the former was also settled with a
guidance newly produced in 2013.
- CCS Activities Update
In 2012, IEA publicized an analysis result that CCS should contribute to
14% of CO2 emission reduction required by 2050. They said that to achieve thetarget the annual amount of CO2 stored by CCS needs to be 260 Mt in 2020, 2.5
Gt in 2030 and 8 Gt in 2050. We are, however, unlikely to achieve the targetedvolume of CO2 to be stored in 2020 so that IEA publicized an updated CCS technology roadmap in July 2013 with the focus on actions to be taken for a periodof coming seven years by 2020. In the roadmap, the international organization
pointed out the importance of, for example, introducing financial support mechanisms and promoting reservoir exploration.
According to GCCSI, there are currently only 12 large-scale CCS projects
under operation, including Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) operations using anthropogenic CO2. Furthermore all of them use CO2 from industrial plants which
need no or limited additional costs for CO2 capture. As operating eight out of the
12 projects, North America is regarded as a leader in the global CCS scene. Theirinfluence will become greater when they start operating two CCS projects, which
are under construction to start running in 2014, in the power sector.

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Europe has been enthusiastic in tackling global warming and has promoted CCS demonstration for coal-fired power plants but all of these projects
have been cancelled or significantly delayed. In September 2013, the European
Parliament publicized recommendations for policies to boost CCS in the region
but it draws little attention. With the European Commission’s schemes not working well, what drew great attention was a large-scale CCS project for a gas-fired
power plant in a non-EU member—Norway, but its Government decided to cancel
it in September 2013. In a few months, the UK made expectations for progress of
CCS raised. Under a national scheme for CCS demonstrations in the power sector renewed in 2012, the Government decided to fund basic design (FEED) for
two projects in late 2013 and early 2014. They have also been making progressin promoting the improvement of policies to facilitate CCS deployment.
On the other hand, in Asia, where drew less attention in terms of CCS,
has shown significant progress on CCS—the Japanese Government has been
preparing a full-chain demonstration in Tomakomai, Hokkaido; and according to
GCCSI, China is the only country where the number of large-scale CCS projects
planned has been increased over the past two years. In Southeast Asia, interest
in CCS has rapidly been increased—with supports of developed nations, a fundamental survey was conducted toward future CCS deployment and a CO2 storage
pilot test has been under planning.

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ALPS International Symposium

Vital Spark Seminar

Systems Analysis GroupFY2012 ALPS International Symposium washeld at Otemachi Sankei Plaza in Tokyo on February 27th, 2013. This symposium was hosted by
Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the
Earth (RITE) and co-hosted by Ministry of Economy,
Trade and Industry, Japan (METI). The symposium
was titled “Moving toward Sustainable Climate
Change Actions.”
We are honored to have six leading experts fromoverseas, including Prof. Nabojsa Nakicenovic,
Prof. Arnulf Grübler and Prof. Keywan Riahi fromthe International Institute Applied Systems Analysis, Mr. James L. Connaughton from Exelon, Prof.
David Victor from the University of California, San
Diego and Mr. Jun Arima from JETRO, London, andto have two Japanese experts, Dr. Hidetoshi Nakagami from the Jukankyo Research Institute Inc.
and Prof. Yoichi Kaya from the President of RITE.
Furthermore, Prof. Keigo Akimoto, from RITE introduced the up-to-date study results in the presentation on ALPS Project. We discussed sustainable
development, climate change response measures,and their scenario analyses from long-term andmultiple perspectives.
We had an attendance of 200 people from industries, ministries and universities. Their active
discussion motivated us to dedicate further efforts
to our research and development.

Systems Analysis Group
Vital Spark Seminar, subtitled Energy Innovation based New Climate Change Policy was held at
International Conference Hall III, Kyoto University
on October 10, 2013. (Hosted by RITE, co-hosted
by The Institute of Energy Economics, Japan andsupported by Iron and Steel Federation and manyothers).
‘THE VITAL SPARK’ was published in July 2013,
coordinated by the London School of Economics
and Political Science (LSE). LSE Emeritus Research Professor Gwythian Prins is a chief editor
and twenty leading experts in energy and climatechange issues co-authored the paper, including
some researchers from Japan as well as from England, USA, Germany, Brazil, Canada and Sweden.
Overview of the paper is that only bottom-up
approach based on the technology functions could
be truly effective climate change mitigation and thatpolicy for energy technology innovation in particular
could be a key to the future.
LSE Emeritus Research Professor GwythianPrins and Dr. Constable, Director of Renewable
Energy Foundation were invited to the seminar andalso 3 Japanese experts from the University of Tokyo, Keidanren, The Institute of Energy Economics,
Japan delivered lectures, leading to vigorous discussions between the lecturers and audience.
We believe the seminar to be very meaningfulproviding an opportunity of broad exchanges for not
only researchers involved in climate change issues
but participants from industries and ministries.

FY2013 ALPS International Symposium isscheduled to take place in February 4, 2014 in
Tokyo. (Hosted by RITE and co-hosted by METI).
Distinguished experts from Japan and abroad will
be invited as guest speakers to talk about the trend
and outlook on sustainable climate change actions
and the frameworks for them.

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International joint research projectwith NREL on a production technology
development of butanol as a biojet fuelMany visitors attended our seminar andexhibition booth at BioJapan 2013 World
Business Forum

Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology Group
Recently, CO2 emissions from the aviation sector have become a global issue because CO2 emissions from aircrafts continue increasing with anincrease in the number of passengers from emerging countries and LCC (low cost carriers). Currently,
worldwide flights by aircrafts contribute 20% of theCO2 emissions of the global transportation sector,
but it is not easy to reduce these CO2 emissions
from the aircrafts fundamentally. In order to reduce
the CO2 emissions, biojet fuels produced from biomass have attracted increasing attention (See text).
In this project, we set out the technology development to produce butanol, which is one of expected materials for biojet fuels, from non-food cellulosic
biomass. If we can put this material into practicaluse for biojet fuels production, we will contribute to
the reduction of the CO2 emissions by the aviation
sector and mitigate adverse global climate change.
The project is conducted by an international joint
working group involving RITE (Research Instituteof Innovative Technology for the Earth), GEI (Green
Earth Institute) and NREL (National Renewable
Energy Laboratory). RITE contributes technologies
to improve coryneform bacteria by metabolic engineering and innovative RITE Bioprocess; GEI isa venture company established to industrialize the
RITE Bioprocess; NREL has accumulated the mostresearch data on sugar preparation from cellulosic
biomass in the world. This project brings together
these three institutions and is supported by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan.

Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology Group
BioJapan 2013 World Business Forum washeld at Pacifico Yokohama from 9th to 11th October
2013. RITE has hosted the forum as a sponsor organization since 2011, and our group exhibited andpresented a seminar. In our exhibition booth, RITE
and GEI jointly exhibited the innovative bio-conversion RITE-Bioprocess and its strategy for industrialization. RITE Director, Dr. Hideaki Yukawa moderated the seminar on “Green Innovation Summit”,
this time in its fifth year, where many participants
attended. In the seminar, executives of prominentcompanies gave lectures on their environmental
management and the CEO of GEI also introduced
the state of U.S. biorefinery and GEI’s strategy forindustrialization of the RITE Bioprocess. We thankall those who visited of our booth very much.

Outline of the international joint research of RITE/GEI/NREL

RITE/GEI joint exhibition boothSeminar on “Green Innovation Summit”

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Research on CO2 capture technologies
Chemical Research Group
Herein, information on the CO2 capture technologies in the United States, Norway, and the Netherlands is discussed.
In July 2013, we attended the CO 2 CaptureTechnology Meeting organized by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) in Pittsburgh.
This annual meeting presents research findingsof R&D projects of the US Department of Energy(DOE), whereby information relating to the research
agenda of the DOE can be gathered. Fundings areaccordingly assigned to research themes that suit
the strategy of DOE.
In that year, 209 people attended the meeting,and 61 oral presentations and 11 poster presentations were given. In the post-combustion researcharea, 13, 10, and 8 presentations relating to absorption, adsorption, and membrane technologies were
presented. In contrast, in the pre-combustion research area, only 4, 1, and 1 presentations relating
to membrane, absorption, and adsorption technologies were presented. DOE awards funding grants tothe proposals based on the novelty of the concept
rather than on a well-developed technology. Hence,in general, the basic research findings of the proposals were presented, including in the absorption
research area. For example, in the absorption-related post-combustion field, R&D on processes thatinvolve the recovery of CO2-absorbed amine as aslurry by precipitation, use of enzyme, and whereby
the absorber and desorber are contacted using amembrane were reported. In the pre-combustion
field, several presentations involving membrane
technologies were given, and projects on membrane separation were selected as new projects.
In August 2013, we attended a workshop on
membrane separation in Norway and also visited
Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN)
and the University of Twente in the Netherlands togather recent trends in gas separation membranes
such as those employed in Europe.
In the workshop, presentations on CO2 separation membranes, H2 separation membranes, andsolvent separation membranes were given by
Norwegian University of Science and Technology(NTNU), Stiftelsen for Industriell og Teknisk For-60

skning (SINTEF, Norway), the University of Oslo
(Norway), Yamaguchi University (Japan), and RITE
(Japan). In the area of CO2 separation membranes,interesting results pertaining to enhanced transport
properties of membranes for CO2/CH4 separation
were reported by researchers from NTNU.
ECN is the largest research institute involving
500 staffs for energy in the Netherlands. We visited
Dr. Jaap Vente who has been working on development of separation membranes. His research groupis collaborating with the University of Twente and
SINTEF for the development of membrane modules. We visited bench-scale facilities for H2 separation membranes (palladium membranes) and longterm testing facilities for water/alcohol separation
membranes. They are conducting R&D for the practical application of their membranes that involves
scale-up and long-term testing.
We also visited Prof. Dr. Arian Nijmeijer at the
University of Twente. His research group extensively investigates the fabrication of silica membranes,
surface-modified ceramic membranes, porous ceramic or metallic hollow fiber membranes, and palladium membranes, and their application in IGCC
processes.
In Europe, universities are conducting fundamental studies. Research institutes, such as SINTEF and ECN, play an important role, just as RITE,
to integrate seeds technologies developed by universities into companies.

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CCS Technical Workshop
The latest development in safety evaluation technology for CCS large-scale demonstration projects
CO2 Storage Research Group
Japan has been proceeding with the CCS demonstration project at Tomakomai, Hokkaido. Its CO2
injection is expected to start in 2016. Under thecircumstances, much attention has been given totechnological development to ensure a safe and reliable CO2 storage. On 23 January 2014, RITE coorganized with the Ministry of Economy, Trade andIndustry (METI) the CCS technical workshop on “thelatest development in safety evaluation technology
for CCS large-scale demonstration projects” at Daiichi Hotel Tokyo (Minato ward, Tokyo). We had as
many as 295 participants from governments, businesses, universities, research institutions and others. Prof. Dr. Toshifumi Matsuoka, graduate schoolof engineering, Kyoto University moderated theworkshop. The presentations by invited five speakers (three from overseas and two at home) provided
a good opportunity for the participants to discuss
the safety evaluation technologies in CCS.
First, Dr. Iain W. Wright, program manager of
In Salah JIP (retired) talked about the “Upscaling
CCS: How In Salah can inform Tomakomai”, followed by Mr. Daiji Tanase, general manager, operation department, Japan CCS Co. Ltd. outlining
the “progress on Tomakomai CCS demonstration
project”, and Dr. Don White, senior research scientist, geological survey of Canada talking about “theAquistore project: commercial-scale CO2 storage ina Saline Aquifer in Saskatchewan, Canada”. Then,
Dr. Tom Daley, research scientist, LBNL, U.S and
Dr. Ziqiu Xue, chief researcher, RITE each gave
presentations on the recent development in monitoring technology in fiber-optic sensing.
Prof. Dr. Matsuoka wrapped up the workshop,
underscoring the importance of monitoring
technology in the context of a long-term CCS
project, for reducing the uncertainty of numericalsimulations with better understanding of CO 2
distribution and thus making CCS economically
viable.

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Innovative Environmental
Technology Symposium 2013
- Creation of low-carbon society based on new energy and environmental policies Research & Coordination GroupOn December 4th of 2013, we held the conference of “Innovative Environmental Technology Symposium 2013” at ITO Hall (The University of Tokyo).
This meeting was supported by the Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Chemical Society of Japan, the Society of Chemical Engineers (Japan), Japan Society for Bioscience,
Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry, Japan Society ofEnergy and Resources, and the Japan Institute ofEnergy.
In addition to research presentations, we were
honored to invite Mr. Mita (Deputy Director-Generalfor Technology and Environment, METI) for thelecture of “Latest countermeasures against global
warming from COP19 and trends”. From RITE, Dr.
Yamaji, Director-General, made his keynote lectureof “New visions and challenges for new energy andenvironmental policy”, where he mentioned about
the latest trends for rebuilding environmental policies after the disaster of March 11th in 2011. Also hetalked on technical subjects that RITE is working forunder the innovative plans to environmental energy
and technology set by the Japanese government.
After then, the presentations from experts followed
related to the scenario for global-warming countermeasures, biorefinery technology and CCS technology. Besides, the chemical research group made aspeech on the latest development and future viewsfor inorganic membranes for H2 energy production,and this project has been under development at
RITE since last year.
Totally, we invited 357 attendees to the conference. The discussions were very active so that wewere glad to receive so many inquiries. In this time,
we also held poster sessions during the conference,
which could make a great opportunity for information exchange between attendees and RITE researchers.

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International Standardization for CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS)
Research & Coordination GroupRegarding International Standardization for CCS which is already introduced in the other chapter, here thedetailed activities are reported by each of Working Group separately. Six working groups, WG1 to WG6, are set
up currently and the covering areas of each working group (except WG6) are indicated in Fig 1.
New Work Item Proposals (NWIP) from “Capture WG”, “Transportation WG”, “Storage WG” and “Cross-Cutting
Issues WG” were approved in September, 2013, and the development of International Standards has practicallystarted. In addition, NWIP of “Quantification and Verification WG” and “CO2-EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery) WG”
are on ballot by participating countries as of December, 2013 and they are preparing for the next step. The main
activities in 2013 and future schedule of each WG as of January, 2014 are listed below.

Fig. 1: Areas of standardization on CCS•WG1 (Capture)st

The 1 WG1 meeting was held in Beijing (China)

The 1st WG2 meeting was held in Bonn (Ger-in September, 2013. Participating experts from eachmany) in June, 2013. Germany proposed to develop

country agreed to develop TR (Technical Report)

IS of pipeline system prior to various kinds of otherprior to IS (International Standard) at the meetingtransportation systems and it was approved at theand to use a document submitted by Japan as ameeting. To be more precise, DNV-RP-J201 fromseed document. Section editors were assigned to

NNV (Norway) is used as a seed document, divided

each section to proceed editing respectively.

into each section, and was assigned leaders to

For future schedule, WG1 aims at complet-each section. Experts are reviewing it in detail for

ing Working Draft of TR at early fall, ensuring thethe 2nd WG2 meeting in February, 2014. Japan isprogress of each section at the teleconference inparticipating discussion in an effort to develop IS in

February, 2014 and discussing it at the 2nd WG1

2016.

meeting in March. Japan positively leads discussion
as Convenor and Secretariat of WG1.

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each participating country is discussing the NWIP.
The Japanese internal committee will cast a vote incooperation with experts and relevant parties.
•WG5 (Cross-Cutting Issues)
The 1st WG5 meeting was held in Beijing (China)
in September, 2013. Experts from participating
countries have reached an agreement to establish
IS of CCS vocabulary aiming publication in 2016.
The 1st WG1 meeting

Discussion on system integration starts along with
development of vocabulary IS.
•WG6 (CO2-EOR)
WG6 addressing CO2-EOR was established byjoint proposal from the United Stated and Norway
at the 3rd Plenary TC meeting in September, 2013.
NWIP from WG6 was submitted in December, 2013and participating countries are reviewing it to cast avote. Although WG6 relates to a whole CCS, overlap discussion with other WGs should be avoided.
The NWIP should be discussed with the relatedst

The 1 WG2 meeting

parties to cast a vote and also a structure for WG6should be established in Japan.

•WG3 (Storage)
The 1st WG3 meeting was held in Toronto (Can-

RITE continues to be involved actively in devel-ada) in September, 2013. WG3 experts reached aoping International standards for CCS in order toconsensus to use CSA-Z741 which is a standard

reflect technologies and expertise which Japan has

in North America as a seed document in order tocultivated so far.

develop IS of geological and offshore storage. TPs(Technical Panel) were set up for each chapter topromote editing. Aiming to publication of IS in 2017,
WG3 advances discussion. Japan actively leads
discussion as Convenor toward practical applicationof offshore storage and CCS in earthquake countries.
•WG4 (Quantification &Verification)
The 1st WG4 meeting was held in Beijing (China)
in September, 2013. TR (Technical Report) was
proposed to be developed prior to IS (International
Standard). The NWIP is on ballot until March and63

2013 Paper, Presentation and Publication◦Systems Analysis Group

RITE

Today

2014

Systems Analysis Group◆ Original Paper
1. A. Hayashi, K. Akimoto, T. Tomoda, M. Kii, Global evaluation of
the effects of agriculture and water management adaptations on
the water-stressed population, Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Vol.18, Issue 5, pp.591-618, 2013
2. M. Kii, K. Akimoto, A. Hayashi, Risk of hunger under climatechange, social disparity, and agroproductivity scenarios, Environmental Modeling and Assessment, Vol.18, Issue 3, pp.299-317,
2013
3. T. Homma, K. Akimoto, Analysis of Japan's energy and environment strategy after the Fukushima nuclear plant accident, Energy
Policy, Vol.62, pp.1216-1225, 2013
4. M. Sugiyama, O. Akashi, K. Wada, A. Kanudia, J. Li, J. Weyant,
Energy-efficiency potentials for global climate change mitigation,
Climatic Change, in press
5. G. Luderer, V. Krey, K. Calvin, J. Merrick, S. Mima, R. Pietzcker,
J. V. Vliet, K. Wada, The role of renewable energy in climate stabilization: results from the EMF27 scenarios, Climatic Change, inpress
6. N. Bauer, V. Bosetti, K. Calvin, M. Hamdi-Cherif, A. Kitous,
D. L.McCollum, A. Mejean, S. Rao, H. Turton, L. Paroussos, S.
Ashima, K. Wada, CO2 emission mitigation and fossil fuel markets:
Dynamic and international aspects of climate policies, Technological Forecasting & Social Change, in press
7. K. Riahi, E. Kriegler, N. Johnson, C. Bertram, M. den Elzen, J.
Eom, M. Schaeffer, J. Edmonds, M. Isaac, V. Krey, T. Longdon,
G. Luderer, A. Mejean, D. L. McCollum, S. Mima, H. Turton, D. P.
van Vuuren, K. Wada, V. Bosetti, P. Capros, P. Criqui, M. Kainuma,
Looked into Compenhagen Pledges - Implications of short-termemissions targets for the cost and feasibility of long-term climate
goals, Technological Forecasting & Social Change, in press
8. E. Kriegler, K. Riahi, N. Bauer, J. Schwanitz, N. Petermann,
V. Bosetti, A. Marcucci, S. Otto, L. Paroussos, S. Rao, T. ArroyoCurras, S. Ashina, J. Bollen, J. Eom, M. Hamdi-Cherif, A. Kitous,
A. Mejean, F. Sano, M. Schaeffer, K. Wada, P. Capros, D. van
Vuuren, O. Edenhofer, Making or breaking climate targets: The
AMPERE study on staged accession scenarios for climate policy,
Technological Forecasting & Social Change, in press
9. F. Sano, K. Wada, K. Akimoto, J. Oda, Assessments of GHG
emission reduction scenarios of different levels and different shortterm pledges through macro and sectoral decomposition analyses,
Technological Forecasting & Social Change, in press
10. F. Sano, K. Akimoto, K. Wada, Impacts of different diffusion
scenarios for mitigation technology options and of model representations regarding renewables intermittency on evaluations of CO2
emission reductions, Climatic Change, in press
11. E. Kriegler, N. Petermann, V. Krey, J. Schwanitz, G. Luderer, S.
Ashina, V. Bosetti, J. Eom, A. Kitous, A. Méjean,L. Paroussos, F.
Sano, H. Turton, C. Wilson, D. van Vuuren, Diagnosing integrated
assessment model of climate policy, Technological Forecasting &Social Change, in press
12. K. Akimoto, T. Homma, F. Sano, M. Nagashima, K. Tokushige,
T. Tomoda, Assessment of the emission reduction target of halving
CO2 emissions by 2050: macro-factors analysis and model analysis under newly developed socio-economic scenarios, Energy
Strategy Reviews, in press
13. J. Oda, K. Akimoto, T. Tomoda, Long-term global availability of steel scrap, Resources Conservation & Recycling, Vol.81,
pp.81-91, 2013

64

14. M. Kii, K. Akimoto, K. Doi, A land-use transport model to assess the impact of urban policies on carbon dioxide reduction andsustainability, Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transport
Studies, Vol.10, pp.1112-1128, 2013
◆ Other Paper
1. K. Akimoto, Issues on the ‘Options for energy and environment’provided by the Japanese government, Journal of the Japan Institute of Energy, Vol.92, No.1, pp.2-8, Jan. 2013
2. K. Akimoto, K. Wada, F. Sano, Current issues on integrated
assessment models for climate change mitigation, Journal of theJapan Institute of Energy, Vol.92, No.3, pp.224-231, Mar. 2013
◆ Oral Presentation
1. A. Hayashi, K. Akimoto, T. Homma, Review of carbon sequestration in agriculture soil, 29th Conference on Energy, Economy andEnvironment, Jan. 30, 2013日
2. K. Akimoto, Analysis of Energy and Environmental Council’s options and proposal of alternatives using RITE Model, 29th Conference on Energy, Economy and Environment, Jan. 30, 2013
3. J. Oda, K. Akimoto, F. Sano, K. Wada, T. Tomoda, International
comparison of energy efficiency and CO2 reduction potential insteel sector, 29th Conference on Energy, Economy and Environment, Jan. 30, 2013
4. F. Sano, K. Akimoto, K. Wada, An evaluation of electric appliances for CO2 emission reduction, 29th Conference on Energy,
Economy and Environment, Jan. 30, 2013
5. T. Homma, K. Akimoto, F. Sano, Economic analysis on power
supply and CO2 emission reductions, 29th Conference on Energy,
Economy and Environment, Jan. 30, 2013
6. M. Nagashima, T. Homma, K. Akimoto, F. Sano, T. Tomoda, A
study on financial transfer payments on climate change control,
29th Conference on Energy, Economy and Environment, Jan. 30,
2013
7. K. Tokushige, K. Akimoto, J. Oda, T. Homma, A. Hayashi, F.
Sano, K. Wada, M. Nagashima, T. Tomoda, Comprehensive
achievement of indices relating to climate change response measures and sustainable development, 29th Conference on Energy,
Economy and Environment, Jan. 30, 2013
8. K. Wada, F. Sano, K. Oshima, K. Akimoto, The variance of themodel representation of nuclear power generation and its implication to the climate change mitigation assessment, 29th Conference
on Energy, Economy and Environment, Jan. 30, 2013
9. J. Oda, K. Akimoto, K. Wada, F. Sano, T. Tomoda, Barriers to energy efficiency in Thailand and India: Field hearing and discussion,
32nd Annual Meeting of Japan Society of Energy and Resources,
Jun. 7, 2013
10. T. Homma, K. Akimoto, Economic impacts of power supply andCO2 emission reductions of Japan after the Fukushima nuclear
power accident, 16th Annual Conference on Global Economic
Analysis, China, Jun. 12-14, 2013
11. J. Oda, K. Akimoto, F. Sano, T. Tomoda, Numerical evaluation of energy and material efficiency in iron and steel sector, 36th
IAEE Annual International Conference, Korea, Jun. 16-20, 2013
12. A. Hayashi, K. Akimoto, T. Homma, K, Wada, Evaluation of water resource in Asia under climate change and socio-economic development scenarios, The 9th Asia Pacific Conference on Sustainable Energy and Environmental Technologies, Japan, Jul. 7, 2013

2013 Paper, Presentation and Publication◦Systems Analysis Group

RITE

Today

2014

Systems Analysis Group
13. A. Hayashi, K. Akimoto, F. Sano, A study on livestock feed andbiofuel by-products in the world, SES 2013 Annual Meeting, Society of Environmental Science, Japan, Sep.4, 2013
14. K. Akimoto, Recent research trend of climate change mitigation, Requested lecture, SCEJ 45th Autumn Meeting, Sep. 16,
2013
15. T. Homma, M. Nagashima, K. Akimoto, F. Sano, K. Wada, T.
Tomoda, A study on sharing the burden of financing options forclimate change, 8th Conference on Sustainable Development ofEnergy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES 2013), University of Dubrovnik, Croatia, Sep. 24, 2013

11. J. Oda, Review of CO2 emission reduction in the iron and steel
industry: Energy/carbon efficiency & material efficiency, Debriefing
session after the 36th IAEE Annual International Conference, Korea, Jul. 23, 2013
12. G. Prins, M. E. Caine, K. Akimoto, et al., THE VITAL SPARK:INNOVATING CLEAN ENERGY FOR ALL, The London School of
Education and Political Science, Jul. 2013
13. T. Homma, Analysis of the impact of the energy price increase
on recycling-based industries, the 79th Technical Meeting for
Recycling-based Society, Global Environment Forum Kansai, Aug.
8, 2013

16. K. Wada, K. Akimoto, F. Sano, The impact of behavioral andinstitutional factors in energy investment decision, The 6th Annual
Meeting of the IAMC, NIES, Japan, Oct. 29, 2013

14. K. Akimoto, A review of mid-term greenhouse gas emission
reduction targets, Global Environmental Strategy WG, Keidanren,
Aug. 22, 2013

17. K. Akimoto, Assessment of relationships among climatechange, food access and energy access with Integrated Assessment Model, The 6th Annual Meeting of the IAMC, NIES, Japan,
Oct. 29, 2013

15. K. Akimoto, Key points of the outlook and review for energy
and environment policies, Nagoya Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Sep. 10, 2013

◆ Non Journal Publication
1. K. Akimoto, Impacts of the energy mix plan on business management, Committee of Business Management, The Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Feb. 7, 2013
2. M. Nagashima, Chapter 4 Technology transfer by Japanese
automobile manufacturers and eco-car policy in Thailand, Chapter
9 How to survive negotiations on climate change technologies, Japan’s Greentech at Risk, Energy Forum, Feb. 2013
3. K. Akimoto, Chapter 3 Mitigation target and effort-sharing among
regions and countries, Chapter 5 Cost of mitigation, Chapter 8
Potential for energy efficiency improvement and barriers, Chapter
10.3 Energy and environmental strategy trends and analysis after
nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant, Feasible
Climate Change Mitigation -A Balanced Approach to Policy, Economy, Technology and Energy - in Japanese, Maruzen Publishing,
Mar. 2013
4. K. Akimoto, Chapter 1, Current status and future perspective of
climate change - what is climate change: Entities and backgroundfactors of climate change, Environment project working paper,
Takushoku University, Mar. 2013

16. K. Akimoto, The basic energy plan and climate change measures, Joint meeting of Industrial Economy, Community Revitalization and Environment/Energy Committee, The Japan Chamber ofCommerce and Industry, Sep. 17, 2013
17. K. Akimoto, Views on the mid-term target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and scenarios toward 2050, Environment
and Energy Committee, Japan Association of Corporate Executive,
Oct. 9, 2013
18. K. Akimoto, Japan’s new plan on environment and energy innovation, Vital Spark Seminar, Keidanren Kaikan, Oct. 8, 2013
19. K. Akimoto, Long-term technological measures for global
warming response, Vital Spark Seminar, International Conference
Hall, Kyoto University, Oct. 10, 2013
20. M. Yamaguchi, Re-designing Japan’s FIT – Learning from European experiences, Vital Spark Seminar, International Conference
Hall, Kyoto University, Oct. 10, 2013
21. K. Akimoto, Comments on ‘Asia/World Energy Outlook 2013’,
the 413th regular research meeting, The Institute of Energy Economics, Japan, Oct. 21, 2013
22. K. Akimoto, Strengthening Cooperation between Australia andJapan on Energy and Resource Strategy, The Australia-JapaneseBusiness Co-operation Committee Meeting, Oct. 22, 2013

5. K. Akimoto, Key points of outlook and review for energy and environment policies, Technical Environment Committee, The Japan
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jun. 5, 2013

23. K. Akimoto, Issues on the review of climate change measuresand energy policies, Resource and Energy Subcommittee, The Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Oct. 29, 2013

6. K. Akimoto, Impact assessment and community application of
ALPS Project achievements, Scenario initiative WS, Jun. 10, 201324. J. Oda, Energy policies and their possible impacts on economy, environment, and security, APO Workshop on Energy Policy in
APO Economies, Pakistan, Nov. 19, 2013

7. T. Homma, K. Akimoto, Economic impact of the electricity priceincrease on manufacturing sectors in the Kansai region, publishedon the web of International Environment and Economic Institute,Jun. 2013
8. K. Akimoto, Review of long-term CO2 reduction target, Symposium on Climate Change, The Canon Institute for Global Studies,
Jul. 10, 2013
9. T. Homma, K. Akimoto, Economic impact of the electricity priceincrease on manufacturing sectors in the Kansai region, NisshoNews, the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jul. 11,
2013

25. K. Akimoto, Impacts of energy options on the cost and economy, Symposium on Energy Policies, Kansai Economic Federation,
Nov. 29, 2013
26. J. Oda, Trends in the iron and steel industry in South Korea
and China: Changes in supply and demand structure from theviewpoint of energy policy in South Korea and China, The Japan
Electrical Manufacturers’ Association, Dec. 6, 2013
27. K. Akimoto, The future energy planning, Policy Forum, The
Federation of Electric Power Related Industry Worker's Unions ofJapan, Dec. 10, 2013

10. K. Akimoto, Key points of outlook and review for energy andenvironment policies, Fukuoka Chamber of Commerce & Industry,
Jul. 22, 201365

2013 Paper, Presentation and Publication◦Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology Group

RITE

Today

2014

Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology Group◆ Original Paper
1. K. Watanabe, H. Teramoto, N. Suzuki, M. Inui and H. Yukawa,

4. H. Teramoto, M. Inui, H. Yukawa, Transcriptional regulation of

Influence of SigB inactivation on Corynebacterium glutamicum

zinc homeostasis genes in Corynebacterium glutamicum, Theprotein secretion, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Vol. 97,

2013 Annual Meeting of Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnol-

pp.4917-4926, 2013

ogy and Agrochemistry, Mar. 25, 2013

2. S. Hasegawa, M. Suda, K. Uematsu, Y. Natsuma, K. Hiraga, T.

5. Y. Tanaka, H. Teramoto, M. Inui, H. Yukawa, Coordinated regu-

Jojima, M. Inui and H. Yukawa, Engineering of Corynebacterium

lation of gnd encoding 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase by two

glutamicum for high-yield L-valine production under oxygen depri-

transcriptional regulators GntR1 and RamA in Corynebacterium

vation conditions, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Vol. 79,

glutamicum, The 2013 Annual Meeting of Japan Society for Bio-

pp.1250-1257, 2013

science, Biotechnology and Agrochemistry, Mar. 26, 2013

3. T. Kubota, Y. Tanaka, K. Hiraga, M. Inui and H. Yukawa, Charac-

6. N. Takemoto, Y. Tanaka, M. Inui, H. Yukawa, Regulation ofterization of shikimate dehydrogenase homologues of Corynebac-

riboflavin transporter gene expression in Corynebacterium glutami-

terium glutamicum, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. Vol.

cum, The 2013 Annual Meeting of Japan Society for Bioscience,

97, pp.8139-8149, 2013

Biotechnology and Agrochemistry, Mar. 26, 2013

4. K. Toyoda, H. Teramoto, W. Gunji, M. Inui and H. Yukawa,

7. T. Kubota, Y. Tanaka, K. Hiraga, M. Inui, H. Yukawa, Characteri-

Involvement of regulatory interactions among global regulators

zation of shikimate dehydrogenase homologues of Corynebacte-

GlxR, SugR, and RamA in expression of ramA in Corynebacterium

rium glutamicum, The 2013 Annual Meeting of Japan Society forglutamicum, Journal of Bacteriology, Vol. 195, pp.1718-1726, 2013

Bioscience, Biotechnology and Agrochemistry, Mar. 26, 2013

5. Y. Kitade, S. Okino, W. Gunji, K. Hiraga, M. Suda, N. Suzuki,

8. K. Fujikura, K. Hiraga, M. Inui, H. Yukawa, Screening and char-

M. Inui and H. Yukawa, Identification of a gene involved in plas-

acterization of decarboxylase for production of aniline in Coryne-

mid structural instability in Corynebacterium glutamicum, Applied

bacterium glutamicum, The 2013 Annual Meeting of Japan Society

Microbiology and Biotechnology, Vol. 97, pp.8219-8226, 2013

for Bioscience, Biotechnology and Agrochemistry, Mar. 26, 2013

6. H. Teramoto, M. Inui and H. Yukawa, OxyR acts as a tran-

9. Y. Kitade, S. Okino, W. Gunji, K. Hiraga, M. Suda, N. Okibe, N.

scriptional repressor of hydrogen peroxide-inducible antioxidant

Suzuki, M. Inui, H. Yukawa, Identification of the genes for structuralgenes in Corynebacterium glutamicum R, FEBS Journal, Vol. 280,

instability of plasmid in Corynebacterium glutamicum, The 2013

pp.3298-3312. 2013

Annual Meeting of Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology

7. N. Okibe, N. Suzuki, M. Inui and H. Yukawa, pCGR2 copy

and Agrochemistry, Mar. 26, 2013

number depends on the par locus that forms a ParC-ParB-DNA

10. M. Inui, T. Jojima, R. Noburyu, M. Suda, K. Okamoto, T. Gunji,

partition complex in Corynebacterium glutamicum, Journal of Ap-

T. Iwata, Y. Fujisawa, N. Dowe, D.J. Schell, L. Tao, J. Ashworth,plied Microbiology, Vol. 115, pp.495-508, 2013

H. Yukawa, Ethanol production from lignocellulose-derived mixed

8. Y. Tsuge, S. Yamamoto, M. Suda, M. Inui and H. Yukawa, Reac-

sugars by the RITE bioprocess, The 2013 Annual Meeting of Ja-

tions upstream of glycerate-1,3-bisphosphate drive Corynebacte-

pan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology and Agrochemistry, Mar.

rium glutamicum D-lactate productivity under oxygen deprivation,

26, 2013

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Vol. 97, pp.6693-6703,

11. N. Kato, Y. Tsuge, M. Suda, T. Jojima, N. Dowe, D.J. Schell, L.

2013

Tao, J. Ashworth, M. Inui, H. Yukawa, D-lactate production from

9. S. Yamamoto, M. Suda, S. Niimi, M. Inui and H. Yukawa, Strain

lignocellulose-derived mixed sugars by the RITE bioprocess, The

optimization for efficient isobutanol production using Corynebac-

2013 Annual Meeting of Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnol-

terium glutamicum under oxygen deprivation, Biotechnology andogy and Agrochemistry, Mar. 26, 2013

Bioengineering, Vol. 110, pp.2938-2948, 201312. S. Hasegawa, M. Suda, K. Hiraga, T. Jojima, N. Dowe, D.J.
Schell, L. Tao, J. Ashworth, M. Inui, H. Yukawa, High yield valine◆ Oral Presentation
1. K. Toyoda, H. Teramoto, M. Inui, H. Yukawa, Transcriptional regulation of the global regulator RamA in Corynebacterium glutami-

bioprocess, The 2013 Annual Meeting of Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology and Agrochemistry, Mar. 26, 2013

cum, The 2013 Annual Meeting of Japan Society for Bioscience,

13. S. Yamamoto, M. Suda, S. Niimi, M. Inui, H. Yukawa, Isobu-

Biotechnology and Agrochemistry, Mar. 25, 2013

tanol production by metabolically engineered Corynebacterium

2. T. Kuge, H. Teramoto, M. Inui, H. Yukawa, Transcriptional regulation of arabinose utilization genes in Corynebacterium glutamicum, The 2013 Annual Meeting of Japan Society for Bioscience,
Biotechnology and Agrochemistry, Mar. 25, 2013
3. T. Tsujimoto, K. Toyoda, H. Teramoto, M. Inui, H. Yukawa, Isobutanol stress response mediated through SigE in Corynebacterium
glutamicum, The 2013 Annual Meeting of Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology and Agrochemistry, Mar. 25, 201366

production from lignocellulose-derived mixed sugars by the RITE

glutamicum under oxygen deprivation, The 2013 Annual Meetingof Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology and Agrochemistry,Mar. 26, 2013
14. M. Inui, Highly efficient production of biofuels by metabolicallyengineered corynebacteria, The 2013 Annual Meeting of Japan
Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology and Agrochemistry, Mar. 27,
2013.

2013 Paper, Presentation and Publication◦Chemical Research Group

RITE

Today

2014

Chemical Research Group◆ Original Paper
1. F.A. Chowdhury, H. Yamada, T. Higashii, K. Goto, M. Onoda,

14. F.A. Chowdhury, H. Yamada, T. Higashii, Y. Matsuzaki, S. Ka-

CO2 Capture by Tertiary Amine Absorbents: A Performance Com-zama, Synthesis and Characterization of New Absorbents for CO2

parison Study, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research,

Capture, Energy Procedia, Vol. 37, pp.265-272, 2013

Vol.52, Issue 24, pp.8323-8331, 201315. S. Yamamoto, H. Machida, Y. Fujioka, T. Higashii, S. Kazama,

2. S. Duan, T. Kai, I. Taniguchi, S. Kazama, Development ofDevelopment of Chemical CO2 Solvent for High-Pressure CO2Poly(amidoamine) Dendrimer/Poly(vinyl alcohol) Hybrid Mem-

Capture, Energy Procedia, Vol. 37, pp.505-517, 2013branes for CO2 Separation, Desalination and Water Treatment

16. H. Yamada, F.A. Chowdhury, Y. Matsuzaki, K. Goto, T. Higashii,

Journal, Vol. 51, Issue 25-27, pp.5337-5342, 2013

S. Kazama, Effect of alcohol chain length on carbon dioxide ab-

3. T. Kai, I. Taniguchi, S. Duan, F.A. Chowdhury, T. Saito, K.

sorption into aqueous solutions of alkanolamines, Energy Proce-

Yamazaki, K. Ikeda, T. Ohara, S. Asano, S. Kazama, Moleculardia, Vol. 37, pp.499-504, 2013

Gate Membrane: Poly(amidoamine) Dendrimer/polymer Hybrid

17. Y. Matsuzaki, H. Yamada, F.A. Chowdhury, T. Higashii, S.

Membrane Modules for CO2 Capture, Energy Procedia, Vol.37,

Kazama, M. Onoda, Ab Initio study of CO2 capture mechanisms

pp.961-968, 2013

in monoethanolamine aqueous solution: reaction pathways from

4. S. Duan, I. Taniguchi, T. Kai, S. Kazama, Development ofcarbamate to bicarbonate, Energy Procedia, Vol. 37, pp.400-406,

poly(amidoamine) dendrimer/polyvinyl alcohol hybrid membranes

2013

for CO2 capture at elevated pressures, Energy Procedia, Vol.37,

18. I. Taniguchi, T. Kai, S. Duan, S. Kazama, PAMAM Dendrimer

pp.924-931, 2013

Containing Polymeric Membrane for Preferential CO2 Separation

5. H. Yamada, F.A. Chowdhury, K. Goto, T. Higashii, CO2 solubility

Over H2 - Interplay between CO2 Separation Properties and Mor-and species distribution in aqueous solutions of 2-(isopropylamino)

phology , Energy Procedia, Vol. 37, pp.1067-1075, 2013ethanol and its structural isomers, International Journal of Green-

19. K. Yogo, H. Takeyama, K. Nagata, Pore-fill-type Palladium-house Gas Control Vol.17, pp.99-105, 2013

Porous Alumina Composite Membrane for Hydrogen Separation,

6. S. Yamamoto, T. Higashii, Behavior Characterization of Heat-

Energy Procedia, Vol. 37, pp.1104-1108, 2013

Stable Salt in Amine-Based Solvent for CO2 Capture Process from

20. T. Watabe, Y. Nishizaka, S. Kazama, K. Yogo, Development ofBlast-Furnace Gas, Chemistry Letters, Vol.42, No. 5, pp.532-534,

Amine-Modified Solid Sorbents for Postcombustion CO2 Capture,

2013

Energy Procedia, Vol. 37, pp.199-204, 2013

7. D.S. Dao, H. Yamada, K. Yogo, Large-pore mesostructured

21. T. Tomioka, T. Sakai, H. Mano, Carbon dioxide separation

silica impregnated with blended amines for CO2 capture, Industrial

technology from biogas by membrane/absorption hybrid method,& Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol.52, pp.13810-13817, 2013

Energy Procedia, Vol. 37, pp.1209-1217, 2013

8. H. Yamada, Y. Matsuzaki, F.A. Chowdhury, T. Higashi, Compu-

22. N. Takahashi, K. Matsuzaki, T. Funai, T. Wada, H. Fukunaga, T.

tational investigation of carbon dioxide absorption in alkanolamine

Takatsuka, H. Mano, Effects of membrane properties on CO2 de-solutions, Journal of Molecular Modeling, Vol.19, pp.4147-4153,

sorption from chemical absorbents using a membrane flash proc-

2013

ess, Energy Procedia, Vol. 37, pp.1060-1066, 2013

9. H. Yamada, F.A. Chowdhury, T. Higashii, Y. Matsuzaki, M.

23. K. Goto, S. Kazama, A. Furukawa, M. Serizawa, S. Aramaki, K.

Onoda, Ab Initio study of CO2 capture mechanisms in monoeth-

Shoji, Effect of CO2 purity on energy requirement of CO2 capture

anolamine aqueous solution: reaction pathways for the Directprocesses, Energy Procedia, Vol. 37, pp.806-812, 2013

Conversion between Carbamate and Bicarbonate, The Journal of

24. S. Kazama, K. Haraya, Optimization of CO 2 concentration

Physical Chemistry A, Vol.117, Issue 38, pp.9274-9281, 2013

captured by membrane technology - Possibility of reduction in CO2

10. T. Watabe, K. Yogo, Isotherms and Isosteric Heats of Adsorp-

capture energy and cost -, Energy Procedia, Vol. 37, pp.969-975,

tion for CO2 in Amine-Functionalized Mesoporous Silicas, Separa-

2013

tion and Purification Technology, Vol.120, pp.20-23, 2013
11. J. Fujiki, K. Yogo, Polyethyleneimine-functionalized biomassderived adsorbent beads for carbon dioxide capture at ambientconditions, Chemistry Letters, Vol.42, No.12 pp.1484-1486, 2013

◆ Oral Presentation
1. S. Duan, T. Kai, T. Saito, K. Yamazaki, K. Ikeda, Effect ofcross-linking on the mechanical and thermal properties of

12. S. Yamamoto, T. Higashii, Chemical Stability of Secondary-poly(amidoamine) dendrimer/poly(vinyl alcohol) hybrid membranes

Alkanolamine-Based CO 2 Solvents under Stripping Condition,

for CO2 separation, AMS8(the 8th Conference of Aseanian Mem-

Chemistry Letters, Vol.42, No.12 pp.1559-1561, 2013brane Society), Jul. 17, 2013

13. S. Duan, T. Kai, S. Kazama, I. Taniguchi, H. Jinnai, Effect of

2. S. Nakao, Development of CO2 capture technology in RITE,

Phase-separated structure on CO 2 separation performance ofJapanese-Norwegian Workshop Membranes for Sustainable En-

poly(amidoamine) dendrimer immobilized in a poly(ethylene gly-

ergy Technology, Aug. 27-28, 2013col) network, Journal of Materials Chemistry A, Vol.1, Issue 46,
pp.14514-14523, 2013

3. T. Kai, Molecular Gate Membrane:Poly(amidoamine) Dendrimer/
polymer Hybrid Membrane Modules for CO2 Capture, JapaneseNorwegian Workshop Membranes for Sustainable Energy Technology, Aug. 27-28, 201367

2013 Paper, Presentation and Publication◦Chemical Research Group

RITE

Today

2014

Chemical Research Group
4. T. Saito, S. Nakao, M. Seshimo, K. Akamatsu, K. Miyajima, Effect of physically adsorbed water molecules on the H2-selective
performance of a silica membrane, Japanese-Norwegian Workshop Membranes for Sustainable Energy Technology, Aug. 27-28,
2013
5. S. Nakao, CVD silica membrane and membrane reactor using
silica membranes, Japanese-Norwegian Workshop Membranes for
Sustainable Energy Technology, Aug. 27-28, 2013
6. K. Yamazaki, S. Duan, T. Saito, K. Ikeda, I. Taniguchi, T. Kai, Effect of cross-linking on separation properties of poly(amidoamine)
dendrimer/poly(vinyl alcohol) hybrid membranes for CO2 separation, Engineering with Membranes 2013, Sep. 5, 2013
7. K. Goto, H. Yamada, T. Higashii, Prediction of Reaction Rate
constant of Carbon Dioxide Absorption into Aqueous Amine Solution, 2013 AIChE Annual Meeting, Nov. 7, 2013
8. J. Fujiki, K. Yogo, Synthesis and characteristics of amine functionalized biopolymers for CO2 capture, 2013 AIChE Annual Meeting, Nov. 6, 2013
9. T. Saito, T. Kai, S. Duan, K. Yamazaki, I. Taniguchi, K. Ikeda,
The Effect of Water Vapor on Separation Performance of PAMAM
dendrimer/cross-linked PEG hybrid Membrane, IMSTEC2013, Nov.
28, 2013

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2013
Paper, Presentation and Publication◦CO Storage Research Group
2

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2014

CO2 Storage Research Group◆ Original Paper
1. H. Ishida, L.G. Golmen, J. West, M. Kuger, P. Coombs, J.A.

11. T. Nakajima, O. Nishizawa, Z. Xue, A relationship between

Berge, T. Fukuhara, M. Magi, J. Kita, Effects of CO2 on benthic bio-

Vp/Vs and rock properties in the reservoir at Nagaoka CCS site,

ta: An in situ benthic chamber experiment in Storfjorden (Norway).,

AGOS 10th Annual meeting, Jun. 24, 2013

Mallin Pollition Bulletin, Vol.73, pp.443-451, 201312. S. Chiyonobu, T. Nakajima, Z. Xue, A three-dimensional static

2. J. Kita, T. Kikkawa, T. Asai, A. Ishimatsu, Effects of elevatedreservoir model of the Nagaoka CCS Site and to simulate a carbon

pCO2 on reproductive properties of the benthic copepod Tigriopus

dioxide plume migration, JPGU Meeting, May 22, 2013

japonicus and gastropod Babylonia japonica, Marine Pollution Bul-

13. M. Hayashi, A. Shimamoto, C. Katsuyama, Y. Suwa, I. Yoshina-

letin, Vol. 73, pp.402-408, 2013

ga, Y. Watanabe, J. Kita, Effects of elevated pCO2 on the aerobic

3. T. Kogure, T. Kiyama, O. Nishizawa, Z. Xue, Fiber optic strain

ammonia oxidation activity of micro-organisms in marine sediment,

measurements using distributed sensor system under static pres-3rd International Conference on Nitrification, Sep. 3, 2013

sure conditions, Exploration Geophysicists of Japan, submitted

14. H. Ishida, T. Makino, J. Ishizaka, K. Yoshizawa, Y. Watanabe, Y.
Watanabe, J. Kita, Potential effect of typhoon on the phytoplankton◆ Other Paper

community in the subtropical western North Pacific, Fall meeting of

1. J. Kita, Enviromental impact assessment of carbon dioxide stor-

Oceanographic society of Japan 2013, Sep. 17, 2013

age in sub-seabed geological formations, The earth monthly, 2013

15. Y. Kawata, Z. Xue, S. Mito, Reactive transport modelling ofmineral trapping of CO2, revised by water sampling data at Na-◆ Oral Presentation
1. K. Uchimoto, Development of an assessment methodology forCO2 leakage from off-shore reservoir, CCS Technical Workshop,
Jan. 24, 2013
2. J. Kita, Site selection and environmental impacts assessment regulations and case studies, CCS Technical Workshop, Jan. 24,
2013
3. T. Kogure, Z. Xue, Development of an monitoring methodology
for stability of formation in the vicinity of well using optical fiber,
Spring Meeting of Japanese Association for Petroleum Technology,
Jun. 28, 2013
4. T. Nakajima, O. Nishizawa, Z. Xue, A relationship between Vp/
Vs and lithology in the reservoir at the Nagaoka site, Japan Geoscience Union meeting 2013, May 19, 2013
5. T. Kogure, Z. Xue, Distributed fiber optic temperature and strain
sensing in a cement specimen, Japan Geoscience Union meeting
2013, May 19, 2013
6. T. Kiyama, O. Nishizawa, Z. Xue, Swelling deformation behaviorof mudstone injected with supercritical CO2 for threshold pressure measurement, Spring meeting of the Mining and Materials
Processing Institute of Japan, Mar. 29, 2013
7. R. Tanaka, CCS RD&D and Strategy in Japan, The 5th Symposium on CCS in Gungih Area, Central Java, Indonesia, Mar. 16,
2013
8. Y. Zhang, O. Nishizawa, T. Kiyama, S. Chiyonobu, Z. Xue, An
experimental study of the supercritical CO2/Brine behavior in a
porous rock during Drainage and Imbibition : revealed by X-ray CT
and Ultrasonic waves, Geophysical Journal International, Apr. 16,

gaoka CO2 storage site, Goldschmidt2013, Aug. 27, 2013
16. T. Kiyama, O. Nishizawa, Z. Xue, Threshold pressure measurement for supercritical CO2 with constant ejection rate method andswelling deformation behavior of several mudstones, Fall meetingof the Mining and Materials Processing Institute of Japan, 2013,
Sep. 4, 2013
17. Ziqiu Xue,Zhang Yi, Osamu Nishizawa, Tamotsu Kiyama, Visualization of two-phase flow in porous sandstone using X-CT and simultaneous measurement of wave velocity changes, Fall meetingof the Mining and Materials Processing Institute of Japan, 2013,
Sep. 4, 2013
18. Z. Xue, T. Nakajima, Microseismic monitoring at the CCS and
CO2-EOR fields -Lessons from the Nagaoka pilot CO 2 injection
site-, 6th International Symposium on In-Situ Rock Stress, Aug. 20,
2013
19. W. Sekiguchi, I. Takahashi, M. Otake, Time-lapse P-wave velocity variation indicating transition from patchy to uniform saturation while CO2 monitoring, The 19th Formation Evaluation Symposium of Japan, Sep. 27, 2013
20. H. Azuma, Z. Xue, Utilization of seismic attenuation in the monitoring of CO2 storage project -applying to real data-, 129th Societyof Exploration Geophysicists of Japan Conference, Oct. 22, 2013
21. M. Takagishi, T. Hashimoto, S. Horikawa, K. Kusunose, Z. Xue,
Microseismic monitoring at the CO2 geological storage site and estimation of detectable minimum magnitudes, Seismological Societyof Japan 2013 Fall Meeting, Oct. 7, 2013
22. T. Nakajima, Well Integrity at Nagaoka site using time-lapse
logging data, CO2CARE, Nov. 4, 2013

2013
9. M. Takagishi, T. Hashimoto, S. Horikawa, K. Kusunose, Z. Xue,
Microseismic monitoring at the commercial-scale CO2 geologicalstorage site, Cranfield, U.S. (Part 2), Japan Geoscience Union
meeting 2013, May 22, 2013
10. H. Azuma, Z. Xue, Partial saturation and seismic attenuationin CO2 geological storage, 128th Society of Exploration Geophysicists of Japan Conference, Jun. 3, 201369

2014 Vol.09