Agriculture: Converting Organic Waste into Charcoal

Technology data

Performance

Processable materials:

Both wet biomass (e.g. sludge, human waste, and animal waste, water hyacinth, food waste etc.) and dry biomass (saw dust, rice husk, residual wood, bamboo, etc.)

Output products:

Charcoal (biochar) that can be used as a natural fertilizer, soil conditioner and/or fuel

Processing capacity:

From 50kg/d to 25t/d, adjustable upon client’s request

Yield of output products:

About 1/3~1/4 of raw material (as charcoal)

Optional unit:

Drying unit, power generation unit*, wood vinegar harvesting unit*, desulfurization unit, etc. *ingredient-selective

Technical maturity / Past record of introduction

Since 1999, we have delivered more than 70 biomass carbonization plants. 15 of those were sold to foreign countries (China, Vietnam, Norway, Korea, Taiwan and Thailand). Approximately 85% of them were large scale plants, while 15% were small- to middle-scale batch plants. Ingredients range from rice husk, bagasse (sugar cane residue), fruits and vegetables, sludge, woody biomass, chicken manure, food waste to infected animals, oyster shell, mobile phone and diaper. We also have related biomass processing technologies, such as methane fermentation, biodigester and biomass power generation plant.

	Delivered to	Location	Ingredient biomass	Year	Use of biochar and other processed materials
1	JA Kita-ibuki(Numata town office)	Hokkaido	Rice husk	1999	Soil conditioner and snow melting agent
2	Kitamura village office	Hokkaido	Rice husk	1999	Soil conditioner and snow melting agent
3	JA Bibai	Hokkaido	Rice husk	1999	Soil conditioner and snow melting agent
4	JA Urausu	Hokkaido	Rice husk	2000	Soil conditioner and snow melting agent
5	Irabu Island	Okinawa	Bagasse (sugar cane residue)	2000	Soil conditioner for sugar cane fields / Wood vinegar for agriculture
6	Tokyo University	Tokyo	Brewer’s grain	2000	Research
7	JA Ashikita	Kumamoto	Onion/mandarin orange residue	2001	Soil conditioner for onion fields
8	JA Kumamoto Uki	Kumamoto	Vegetable residue	2002	Mixed in compost, for farm house
9	Matsubara Chicken Farm	Kagoshima	Chicken manure	2002	Soil conditioner, for tea and vegetable fields
10	JA Kotonoumi	Nagasaki	Mandarin orange residue	2002	Soil conditioner, for mandarin orange fields
11	JA Sakuma	Nagano	Lettuce residue	2003	Sold to an agricultural soil production company
12	JA Ehime Taiki	Ehime	Compost	2003	Mixed in compost, to home centers
13	Anshan Yinzhu Cereals and Oils	Liaoning, China	Rice husk	2003	Heat insulator at iron works, etc.
14	Kasetsart University	Bangkok, Thailand	Wood chips, etc.	2003	Research
15	Ryuku University	Okinawa	Vegetable, etc.	2003	Research (Soil conditioner for sugar cane fields / Wood vinegar for agriculture)
16	JA Arida	Wakayama	Mandarin orange residue	2004	Soil conditioner
17	JA Dainagasaki	Nagasaki	Vegetable residue	2004	Soil conditioner, Moisture adjustor
18	Ogi town office	Ooita	Bark compost	2004	Mixed in compost
19	JA Amahigasi	Ehime	Rice husk	2004	To make high quality compost
20	Yatsuo town office	Toyama	Wood chips, pruning	2004	Soil conditioner
21	Sanwa Yuka Industrial	Aichi	Drying of oil-containing sludge	2004	Recycle of oil
22	Hokuren vegetable plant	Ibaraki	Vegetable residue (Onion, etc.)	2004	Soil conditioner
23	Iwate Welfare Federation	Iwate	Used paper diapers	2004	Deodorizer
24	Zhongsuotun Village, Anshan city	Liaoning, China	Rice husk	2005	Gasified fuel
25	H.C.Starck – V TECH Ltd.	Tochigi	Sludge	2005	Tantalum recovery
26	Meidensya Corporation	Ishikawa	Wood chips	2005	Research
27	Industrial Technology Research Institute	Taiwan	Bamboo	2005	Research
28	Miyako Island	Okinawa	Bagasse	2005	Soil conditioner
29	JA Kinosato	Wakayama	Pruned tree	2005	Soil conditioner
30	JA Nagamine	Wakayama	Mandarin orange residue	2005	Soil conditioner
31	Shibuya Kogyo Co.,Ltd.	Ishikawa	medical waste	2005	Research
32	Kureha Foods Co., Ltd.	Toyama	Tofu residue	2005	Drying, waste volume reduction
33	Kanuma City Government	Tochigi	Wood chips and sludge	2006	Soil conditioner
34	Osaki Town office	Kagoshima	Chicken manure	2006	Soil conditioner
35	Minami-Awaji City (3 sets)	Hyogo	Onion residue	2006	Soil conditioner
36	Miyako Island Research Center	Okinawa	Bagasse	2006	Gasified fuel
37	Tianjin(2 sets)	China	Rice husk, Raw cotton(Leaf, Stalk)	2006	Gasified fuel
38	Meidensya Corporation (Noto Forestry Cooperative)	Ishikawa	Wood chips	2006	NEDO trial
39	JA Fuyo	Korea	Rice husk	2006	Soil conditioner
40	Hokkaido University	Hokkaido	Wood chips	2006	Research
41	Centrair (Central Japan International Airport)	Aichi	Garbage	2006	Fuel
42	Minami-Awaji City (2 sets)	Hyogo	Onion residue	2007	Soil improvement
43	Miyako Island Bio-Eco System	Okinawa	Bagasse	2007	Research
44	Tokyo University	Tokyo	Bio-mass	2007	Research
45	JA Ishikawa kahoku	Ishikawa	Rice husk	2007	Soil improvement
46	A certain place	Japan	Wood etc.	2007	Research
47	Institute of Industrial Science, the University of Tokyo	Nagano	Biomass	2007	Research
48	Godo Crarification Center	Gifu	sewage sludge	2008	Soil improvement
49	Hida City	Oita	Wood etc.	2008	Materials
50	Tsugaru National Land Preservation Co., LTD.	Aomori	Wood etc.	2008	Materials
51	Hirosaki University	Aomori	Wood etc.	2008	Research
52	Kyo maron	Ibaraki	Prune residue	2008	Materials
53	A certain maker	Japan	Wood chips	2009	Electrical generation
54	Godo Crarification Center	Gifu	sewage sludge	2009	Soil improvement
55	NORA Bio-mas Eco Fuel Noto	Ishikawa	Wood chips	2009	Make pellets
56	Jisyoen Social Welfare Co.	Ishikawa	Wood chips	2010	Supplying hot water
57	Ryukyu University	Okinawa	Wood chips, fruits seed	2010	Research
58	A certain maker	Japan	Wood chips	2010	Electrical generation
59	A certain factory	Shanxi, China	Kanaf	2010	Industrial material
60	Sanko Kogyo Co., Ltd.	Okayama	Trimming tree	2010	Waste volume reduction
61	Anshan Minghe Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd.	China	Sunflower seed	2011	Waste volume reduction
62	Minkan Inasaku Kenkyujo	Tochigi	Rice husk	2011	Research
63	Fukue Einou Limited private company	Gifu	Momigalite (solid fuel made of rice husk)	2012	Selling
64	Vietnam National University and HoChiMinh City University of Technology	Vietnam	Biomass	2012	Research
65	CSIC ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRUCTION, INC.	China	Sludge residue	2012	Waste volume reduction
66	Japan wood energy Co., Ltd.	Tokyo	Biomass	2012	Waste volume reduction
67	A certain maker	Fukui	Rice husk	2012	Waste volume reduction
68	Tosanshou Co., Ltd.	Akita	Wood chips	2012	Bio-oil
69	A certain maker	Yamagata	Wood chips	2012	Gasification power generation
70	Federation of forestry cooperatives (Ishikawa)	Ishikawa	Pellet	2012	Heating
71	Nihonkaigas Co.,Ltd.	Ishikawa	Food waste	2012	Fermentation（for research）
72	Tokyo University	Fukushima	Soil	2013	Decontamination
73	Kanazawa University	Ishikawa	Sludge	2013	Fermentation（for research）
74	Nakanoto	Ishikawa	Sludge	2013	Fermentation（for research）
75	China	China	Livestock	2013	Waste treatment
76	Neonite Corporation	Fukushima	Wood chips	2014	Power generation
77	Chicken farm	Tochigi	Chicken manure	2014	Fertilizer
78	Tanakakensetu Co., Ltd.	Ishikawa	Oyster shell	2014	Calcined lime for construction material
79	Petrol China	China	Oil-containing sludge	2015	Oil collection
80	Tonookousan Corporation	Fukushima	Wood chips	2015	Bio-oil collection
81	Hytem Co., ltd	Ishikawa	Chicken manure	2015	Power generation
82	BiogasLABO	Ishikawa	Sludge	2015	Fermentation（for analysis）
83	Japan wood energy Co., Ltd.	Yamanashi	Woody material	2015	Power generation
84	A certain company	Norway	Wood chips & fish residue	2015	Waste treatment
85	Wood processing company	Ishikawa	Biomass boiler	2015	Firewood drying
86	Tokyo University	Chiba	Wood chip	2015	Power generation（for research）
87	Tokyo Institute of Technology	Kanagawa	Wood chip	2016	Power generation（for research）
88	Kyushu University	Vietnam	Sludge	2016	Fermentation & carbonization（for research）
89	Anshan Minghe Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd.	China	Rice husk	2016	Heat insulating material
90	A certain maker	Kagoshima	Bone black	2016	Regeneration of activated carbon

 

Conceivable risk

1.      Intellectual property-related risks

Meiwa’s patent covers a specific method of plant operation. Therefore, physically copying the machine alone will not be competitive as such operation will likely require high running costs. Meiwa also supplies core parts from Japan.

2.      Human resources management

Meiwa is interested in partnering with the local private sector that wishes to grow business as an agent. Meiwa will make every effort to manage human resources through incentivizing partners by actual sales performance and regularly having online/offline communication.

3.      Finding right partners in local private and public sectors

To avoid fraud and other risks with inappropriate partners, Meiwa will first try to meet potential partners introduced by credible parties, such as international organizations, aid agencies, embassies, etc. as well as the ones attending high-level networking events such as TICAD. Meiwa will inquire the business record of foreign companies and project experience with the public sector. Meiwa does not intend to make any exclusive agreements.

Information on patent related to this technology

Patent No. 5636527

Patent No. 5887627

(both in Japan)

Company data

Name	Meiwa Co., Ltd.
Address	3-8-1, Minato, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0211 Japan
Capital	JPY 65 million (as of 2 December 2016)
Contact person	Department: Marketing Position: International Program Manager Name: Mr. Takeo Tokunari Tel. : +81-80-8996-8759 Fax : +81-76-238-0866 E-mail : t-tokunari@meiwa-ind.co.jp (Preferred)
Number of employees	49 (as of 2 December 2016)
Date of company foundation	15 March 1964
The type of business	Manufacturing A technology-oriented Japanese company that develops biomass carbonization plants (a plant to convert almost anything organic into charcoal for agricultural or energy use). Examples of processable biomass include food waste, agricultural residue, human waste, animal waste, sludge and water hyacinth among others.

 

Modality of business transaction

Partnership
We are keen on developing partnerships with local companies. While transferring technologies, each local partner is expected to serve as Meiwa’s agent for market expansion, project formulation, distribution, local production and maintenance of its carbonization plants step by step.

Export of product
Especially for the first project opportunity, we strongly recommend partners to adopt our turnkey plant exported by us for quality assurance purpose.

Licensing pf patent
See “Partnership”

Schematic illustration of the technology 

Selected examples of Meiwa’s contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

(1) Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

14 two-week interns from 7 African countries studying the mechanism of a carbonization plant

Technology transfer and capacity development for local operation and maintenance

Meiwa’s small to medium-sized plants are specifically designed for developing countries. They can run without electricity or water and are transportable by truck. Furthermore, with locally-procurable materials such as iron sheet, used containers of cargo ship and/or drum containers and basic facilities for ironworks, most parts can be manufactured on-site. Through conducting projects, Meiwa wishes to contribute to the country’s industrialization by (1) bringing new viable infrastructure for recycling organic waste, (2) transferring manufacturing methods to local technicians, (3) building capacity of local technicians on machine operation and maintenance, and (4) assisting biochar market establishment as fertilizer and/or fuel. In this context, Meiwa has already hosted a two-week internship for the 15 African students (all participants of ABE Initiative) from Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Botswana and Madagascar and another training for biomass-related experts from 10 countries worldwide in conjunction with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in 2016.

(2) Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production

Reduction of municipal waste taken to a landfill

In most developing countries, municipal waste management has become a major problem as the result of population growth and rapid urbanization. Meiwa’s suggestion is to carbonize organic fractions of waste into biochar before they arrive at landfills where they get mixed with non-organic waste or pollutants. For example, in a non-capital city in Kenya, (i) vegetable waste generated in a city market and (ii) household sludge collected by trucks to a treatment lagoon take large part of waste in the municipal landfill. By carbonizing them at the market and the treatment lagoon, the amount of waste is expected to be reduced significantly.

(3) Goal 13: Climate action

Economically-incentivized climate change countermeasure

On macro scale, fixing biochar (which used to be just another organic waste to be dumped and burnt with fuel) into soil is a carbon negative behavior. By using biochar, farmers will be a driving force to mitigate climate change even if they are not yet environmentally aware. Although exact number depends on material type and other conditions, generally the application of 100g of biochar approximately equals to reducing 160-170g of atmospheric carbon dioxide as compared to burning.

Also, because of the high porosity, biochar works as soil conditioner for moisture control. Since biochar can make rainfed agriculture more resilient to irregular rainfall pattern, it has huge potential to contribute as climate change adaptation countermeasure as well.

(4) Other environmental aspects related to SDGs

The following link to our website illustrates selected examples of technology application to contribute to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

http://www.meiwa-ind.co.jp/en/for-global-environment/index.html

Video:

Batch-type plant