|
|
|
Division
of Investment and Export
PO Box 7970
Madison, WI 53707-7970
USA
|
|
Subscribe
Send
to a Colleague
Feedback
View
Past Editions
|
Vol.
8 #3, January 2009
Wisconsin Delegation visits Japan
A 20-member Wisconsin delegation visited Chiba Prefecture,
Wisconsin’s sister-state in Japan, November 8–15,
2008. The delegation consisted of Wisconsin citizens of various
backgrounds, with a focus on cultural and bioenergy
representatives. The cultural members visited Choshi City, the
Kikkoman soy sauce factory in Noda City, high schools, and the Chiba
Science University.
The bioenergy group toured the world-renowned Kazusa DNA Research
Institute in Chiba andseveral biomass sites. The institute was
the first research facility dedicated to the sequencing and analysis of
DNA. The Yamada Biomass Plant processes manure and vegetable
waste into fertilizer and compost that is applied to farm fields and
also produces methane through anaerobic digestion and compresses it for
use as truck, forklift, and scooter fuel. The Japan Recycling
Center digests food waste in an anaerobic digester to produce methane
used by JFE Steel. The beauty of this project is that it uses a
locally produced waste stream to produce a substantial amount of carbon
neutral energy source for a local heavy industry. Agri Gia System
recycles expired prepackaged foodstuffs, primarily from Japan
Seven-Eleven stores with additional contributions from school and
hospital food services, into poultry/pig feed and farm
fertilizers. The Sapporo Brewery treats its wastewater using twin
high rate mesophilic anaerobic digesters that generate high quality
methane that is routed into the distillery’s energy plant to
augment purchased fossil fuels. Also on the agenda was a visit to
the Ichihara Green Electricity Co. Ltd. which combusts 550 tons of
demolition wood waste and about 150 ton of refuse plastic per day as
fuel to generate about 50 MW of electricity which is then sold to Tokyo
Electric Power. The group also had workshops with Japanese
counterparts.
The delegation was hosted by the Chiba Wisconsin Association in
Chiba. Wisconsin and Chiba Prefecture established a sister state
relationship in 1990 and has had active exchanges since. The
visiting delegation was organized by Wisconsin-Chiba Inc.,
an organization which promotes educational, cultural, science, and
technological exchanges, creating bonds of friendship and understanding
between the people of Chiba, Japan and Wisconsin. For more
information about the organization, please contact Ms. Janie Ritter,
Secretary of Wisconsin-Chiba Inc, jritter@wmc.org.
|
|
|
|
