**4. Launch of the FIT scheme 1 year after Fukushima**

The Feed-in Tariff scheme for renewable energy (FIT) was launched in 2012, 1 year after the Fukushima nuclear disaster following the Great East Japan Earthquake, and the scheme increased the utilization of forest biomass. **Figure 13**

**139**

**Figure 14.**

*Map of FIT-certified woody biomass power plants.*

*Current Situation and Future Outlook of Forest Biomass Production and Its Utilization in Japan*

shows the framework of the FIT [9]. In the case of biomass, the electric utilities have committed to buy the electricity derived from biomass at a higher price than the normal retail one for 20 years. However, this cost is passed down to the electricity consumers. Japanese public covered additional 18.8 billion US dollars in 2016 within the framework of the FIT. The price of electricity has already risen over 10%

With respect to the woody biomass resources for the FIT, "general wood" consists of mill residues and imported woods. From the point of view of power generation capacity, the construction project of a power generation plant which utilizes general wood as fuel accounts for the majority (**Figure 14**) [10]. There are plans to establish many large-scale plants with a power-generation capacity of more than 10 MW along seashores and to import a huge amount of woody biomass such

Forest biomass utilization is also being done mainly in mountainous areas. The main source of forest biomass is the unutilized thinnings that were once abandoned in planted forests (**Figure 15**). Since the tariff on electricity derived from forest biomass is set to be hefty, the price of forest biomass as fuel is sometimes greater than that of forest biomass as pulpwood. In some areas, pulpwoods are also transported directly to power generation plants, and adjacent pulp mills located in such areas are

As a result, forest biomass utilization is rapidly increasing (**Figure 16**) [2]. The rapid increase in the utilized amount of forest biomass triggered by the FIT is the driving force behind the improvement of the self-sufficiency rate of wood.

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93433*

obliged to import pulpwoods instead.

from the price before the implementation of the FIT.

as wood chips, wood pellets, and palm kernel shells (PKS).

**Figure 13.** *Framework of the FIT.*

#### *Current Situation and Future Outlook of Forest Biomass Production and Its Utilization in Japan DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93433*

shows the framework of the FIT [9]. In the case of biomass, the electric utilities have committed to buy the electricity derived from biomass at a higher price than the normal retail one for 20 years. However, this cost is passed down to the electricity consumers. Japanese public covered additional 18.8 billion US dollars in 2016 within the framework of the FIT. The price of electricity has already risen over 10% from the price before the implementation of the FIT.

With respect to the woody biomass resources for the FIT, "general wood" consists of mill residues and imported woods. From the point of view of power generation capacity, the construction project of a power generation plant which utilizes general wood as fuel accounts for the majority (**Figure 14**) [10]. There are plans to establish many large-scale plants with a power-generation capacity of more than 10 MW along seashores and to import a huge amount of woody biomass such as wood chips, wood pellets, and palm kernel shells (PKS).

Forest biomass utilization is also being done mainly in mountainous areas. The main source of forest biomass is the unutilized thinnings that were once abandoned in planted forests (**Figure 15**). Since the tariff on electricity derived from forest biomass is set to be hefty, the price of forest biomass as fuel is sometimes greater than that of forest biomass as pulpwood. In some areas, pulpwoods are also transported directly to power generation plants, and adjacent pulp mills located in such areas are obliged to import pulpwoods instead.

As a result, forest biomass utilization is rapidly increasing (**Figure 16**) [2]. The rapid increase in the utilized amount of forest biomass triggered by the FIT is the driving force behind the improvement of the self-sufficiency rate of wood.

**Figure 14.** *Map of FIT-certified woody biomass power plants.*

*Biotechnological Applications of Biomass*

the 20 million m3

such as mill residue or wood-based waste material, while logging residue went almost unutilized. It has been said since that time that logging residues should be utilized by developing dedicated harvesting machines as has been done in Sweden and Finland. In these statistics, the term "logging residue" actually refers to unutilized thinning materials (**Figure 12**). In view of environmental conservation and global warming mitigation measures, huge amounts of subsidies were spent to fell trees for the purpose of thinning, but the felled trees were never harvested. Thus, the young planted forests contained large amounts of felled thinnings. So,

sified as "forest biomass," most of which was composed of unutilized thinnings.

The Feed-in Tariff scheme for renewable energy (FIT) was launched in 2012, 1 year after the Fukushima nuclear disaster following the Great East Japan Earthquake, and the scheme increased the utilization of forest biomass. **Figure 13**

**4. Launch of the FIT scheme 1 year after Fukushima**

/y of logging residue shown in **Figure 11** should have been clas-

**138**

**Figure 13.**

*Framework of the FIT.*

**Figure 15.** *Unutilized thinnings that were once abandoned in planted forests.*

**Figure 16.**

*Changes in the utilized amount of forest biomass.*

The self-sufficiency rate of wood in 2017 as shown in **Figure 4** was 36.2%, but it goes down to 31.6% when the use of wood as fuelwood is excluded.

It is unclear whether unutilized thinnings can continue to be utilized as energy in the future. Planted forests are going to mature so that the value of the thinning material will increase and the amount available for energy use will decrease. On the other hand, "true" logging residues such as tree tops and limbs are not currently

**141**

**Figure 18.**

**Figure 17.**

*Experimenting with a forwarder hauling of slashes.*

*Comminution of logging residues with a tub grinder.*

*Current Situation and Future Outlook of Forest Biomass Production and Its Utilization in Japan*

utilized much as energy sources. If this situation continues, the energy utilization of forest biomass might drop sharply after the completion of the FIT. Thus, a framework for the utilization of logging residues must be established as soon as possible.

The use of the whole-tree logging system has increased through the spread of mechanization, such as the use of processors and harvesters. This situation makes logging residues easier to collect. So an efficient and low-cost harvesting, transporting, and chipping system for logging residues must be established. The author's

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93433*

**5. Future perspectives on forest biomass in Japan**

*Current Situation and Future Outlook of Forest Biomass Production and Its Utilization in Japan DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93433*

utilized much as energy sources. If this situation continues, the energy utilization of forest biomass might drop sharply after the completion of the FIT. Thus, a framework for the utilization of logging residues must be established as soon as possible.
