Maximisation of Wood in

Maniwa City,
Okayama Prefecture

Utilisation of Biomass
Resource
Background

Project Outline

After the period of rapid economic growth passed,

The investigation of the use and application ofthe lumber industry saw a decline and the youngwood byproducts was first started under theentrepreneurs of the area sensed a danger that theleadership of private businesses, but after garneringvitality of the area would follow, so they launched athe support of the national and prefecturalof the 21stgovernments and making progress in the form ofCentury. It was there that the idea of promoting

various verified projects, so the private and publicindustry through maximum use of wood biomass

sectors came together to promote the utilisation ofcame about. After several study meetings withwood biomass. As a result, the area was able to takeoutside experts, they proceeded with the concept ofadvantage of leftover wood, sawed remnants, etc. as

effectively utilising woody waste products (left-overa source for power and heating.

study group, called the Maniwa School

wood, sawed remnants, wood shavings, bark, etc.)

In Maniwa, private leadership, in cooperation withthat is produced in large amounts by the forestry andthe government, has constructed a system that islumber industry.

centered on its major industry to, “Reasonably use

Currently, Maniwa is using wood biomass, which is

the resources under our noses.” The promotion of thea byproduct of its major industry, the forestry andutilisation of biomass, focused on the use of wood,

lumber industry, as an energy source, and is creating

has led to the realisation of the development of all

structures for resource circulation within the region.

sorts of projects.
Biomass energy regional systemisation trial project
The Maniwa Biomass Collection Centre wasProject Aims
1.
2.
3.
4.

established as a base to ensure the steady supply ofVaried utilisation of forestry and lumber industry

woody raw materials. This efficiently transports andbyproducts

collects wood biomass fuel from the local area, as

Industrial cooperation between different types

well as using it as raw materials to manufacture woodof businesses

chips. In addition, woody biomass boilers wereRevitalisation of local industry and sustainableinstalled in the city’s public facilities, and these use

development

the manufactured fuel.

Create a recycling-orientated society

1generating 10,000 kW/h.

Biomass Collection Centre

Maniwa Biomass Power Station

Strengths and Innovations
Biomass energy regional systemisation trial project1.

Set the wood biomass purchase price by building
consensus among the people concerned

2.

A steady supply of wood biomass fuel from theManiwa Biomass Collection Centre

3.

Active utilisation of bark, branches, and leaves asfuelCity Hall is equipped with a biomass boiler

The Maniwa system

Construction of the Maniwa system

1.

Realisation of traceability for wood biomass

2.

Optimisation of exact calculations for theWith wood biomass, a system is needed to identify

amount of supply and distribution

the origin of the wood as the purchasing price differs

Maniwa biomass power generation project

according to a fixed price purchasing system for

1.

High operating efficiency

sustainable energy, depending on whether unused

2.

Recycles money into the local economy bywood like timber from forest thinning or general

returning revenue earned from selling electricity

wood is being used to generate power. Therefore agenerated by using local resources as fuel, backcouncil for the steady supply of wood resources wasinto the region

set up by the parties involved, and an IT system to3.

certify the production area of the wood was

Returns profits to the owners of the unused
wood in the forest

constructed, called the “Maniwa system”.

Results of the ProjectManiwa biomass power generation project1.

In order to create a revenue earning model from theBy transforming traditionally useless materials

manufactured biomass fuel, people from the forestry

like unused wood and sawed remnants into

and timber industry coordinated with governmentvaluable materials, around 1.4 billion yen in

and local affiliated organisations to establish theannual fuel costs was returned to local

Maniwa Biomass Power Corporation and the Maniwa

individuals and corporations
2.

Biomass Power Station started operating in 2015,

2

Wood byproducts making a profit led to an3.

4.

5.

increase in profitability for producers of raw

involved plan to cooperate and continue to promotematerials and sawmills, and also contributed tothe project to construct a system that returns evenreviving the local economy

greater profits to the local area.

New jobs (about 50) were created from theAlso, as wood biomass is a byproduct of theprojects related to power generation, fuelmanufacturing and distribution processes of lumber

manufacture, etc.

and sawmill products, there is a need to strengthenWith timber left over in the mountains fromthe operations of the business entities involved in theforest thinning being tidied up, it has also played

main forestry and lumber industries, by efforts likea big role in forest conservation

increasing production output at sawmills andA

modelof

local

productionforlocal

promoting the use of CLT (Cross Laminated Timber).

consumption was constructed for electric power,

By trying to actively make it a growth industry andas part of the power generated by the powerincrease awareness among people to increase thestation was supplied to public facilities likedemand for wood, and by further promotion of a

primary and middle schools and City Hall

system that takes full advantage of the wood, thepublic and private sectors can work together to createa sustainable local economy.

Problems, and Responses
Steps before implementation

Reference URL

Some of the issues that became clear were that the

http://www.biomass-tour-maniwa.jp/english/

unused wood and sawed remnants that become fuel,can become an unreliable source depending on theseason and situation of the sawmills. In addition, theContact

lack of conformity in the characteristics of the fuel, interms of moisture content and shape, means they’reAdministrative

not suitable for being inserted automatically. However,Department Forestry and Biomass Industry Section

the establishment of the Maniwa Biomass Collection

Telephone number: +81-867-42-5022

Centre aimed to provide a stable supply, by having

Email: biomass@city.maniwa.lg.jp

large stocks of unused wood and sawed remnants,
and to produce high quality fuel as a wood chipfactory.
After the project started
Processing and use of burned ashes.
Reduction of moisture content of fuel wood chips(thus improving quality) in periods of intense cold.

Future Developments
It is estimated that the city has reached around 33%
self-sufficiency in energy due to wood biomass.
However, a number of issues remain for the future,
like the stable supply of unused wood and theimprovement of fuel quality. As a result, the people3

office:Industry&Tourism