Japan Platform for Redesign: Sustainable Infrastructure (JPRSI)

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Biogas Demonstration Plant through Collaboration among Agriculture, Livestock, and Industry

Technology / Service Summary

In Ryuo Town, Shiga Prefecture, agriculture, livestock, and industry are working together to promote the “Biomass Industrial City Initiative,” which utilizes local biomass resources.
At its Ryuo Plant, Daihatsu operates a biogas demonstration facility that uses methane gas derived from beef cattle manure—a local specialty known as Omi beef—as a heat source for aluminum melting furnaces.
On non-operating days, the methane gas is converted into electricity using a generator, contributing to resource circulation and the realization of carbon neutrality in the region.

Purpose

Effective utilization of local biomass resources, along with the circulation of energy and materials derived from them

Feature

Unlike dairy cattle, manure from beef cattle has a lower moisture content, making it suitable for dry methane fermentation—a technology developed to extract methane gas.
The digestate remaining after fermentation is returned to local farmland as organic fertilizer.
Rice straw grown on this farmland is then used as feed for Omi beef cattle, completing a resource recycling loop.

Effect

Methane gas is utilized as an alternative fuel to city gas in aluminum melting furnaces at the automobile plant.
Applying organic fertilizer to farmland helps improve soil fertility.

Controlled Substance

Reference

Applicable Regions / Countries

  • Japan
  • Southeast Asia
  • Central/South Asia
  • China/ East Asia
  • Middle East
  • Africa
  • Oceania
  • North America
  • Europe
  • Central/South America
  • ASEAN countries

    Indonesia,Cambodia,Singapore,Thailand,Philippines,Brunei Darussalam,Viet Nam,Malaysia,Myanmar,Lao PDR

Related SDGs Goals

  • 17. Partnerships to achieve the Goal

Biogas Demonstration Plant through Collaboration among Agriculture, Livestock, and Industry

Youtube Videos

The Ryuo Biogas Project Story (No sound)