Komatsu transforms biomass ash into fertiliser

 Tuesday, September 20, 2022

Komatsu Ltd. has successfully transformed wood ash from the biomass boilers running at its Awazu facility in the Kaga region of Ishikawa Prefecture. This was done in collaboration with the Ishikawa Agriculture and Forestry Research Centre and the fertiliser maker Asahi Agria Co., Ltd. By creating a circulation cycle that includes agriculture and forestry and the revitalization of agriculture and forestry in Ishikawa Prefecture by using biomass combustion ash as fertiliser, the three partners, as a leading model of the public-private sector partnership, will contribute to the reduction of industrial waste and achievement of carbon neutrality.

Awazu Plant: By reusing forest materials, it helps to reduce industrial waste

Each year, Komatsu uses roughly 6,000 tonnes of wood chips, helping to promote wise forest management and reduce damage from driftwood brought on by excessive rain. However, the Awazu plant has expressed worry over Komatsu’s disposal of around 20 tonnes of the wood ash produced by the biomass boilers as industrial trash. Since June 2016, Komatsu has concentrated its efforts on the content analysis of wood ash produced in the plant’s biomass boilers and on the verification of fertilising effects with a view to turning wood ash into fertiliser. Through these attempts, enough potassium and other fertiliser’s active constituents have been discovered.

Potassium and phosphorus imports have been Japan’s primary source of fertiliser raw materials. Safe wood ash, produced mostly in biomass boilers, has recently drawn significant interest as a substitute raw material available in Japan. In light of this, the Japanese government implemented the updated Fertilizer Quality Control Act during the previous fiscal year, encouraging fertiliser categorization revision. Wood ash that has been tested for safety is now referred to as “by-product fertiliser.” Biomass combustion ash from the Awazu Plant was approved as a by-product fertiliser in April 2022.

Committed to reducing its negative effects on the environment, Komatsu aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and a challenge goal of a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions from the usage of its goods and the production of its equipment by 2030 (relative to 2010 levels). In order to ensure that the next generation has a sustainable future, Komatsu will work to create DANTOTSU Value (customer value creation that leads to an upward cycle of improving earnings and ESG resolutions).

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Tags: Awazu Plant, carbon neutrality, Ishikawa Prefecture, Kaga region, Komatsu, reduce industrial waste, woodworking and manufacturing, woodworking industry, woodworking machinery, woodworking UK