Comparison Analysis Between Rice and Cassava for Bioethanol Production in Japan Considering Land Use Efficiency

Abstract

Japan has its national demand for rice completely covered, however in the past years total rice consumption had a slightly decrease and in conjunction of an increase in the average age of famers as well as urban expansions, the arable land abandonment has also increased. In that sense, experts and researchers are looking for alternatives to recover such lands. Consequently, studies on the possibility of producing bioethanol from rice in the abandoned arable lands in Japan have been presented. However, rice production represents high water utilization and for obtaining higher yields the use of automated irrigation-systems is needed, in other words such represent electricity and fuel consumption. In this sense we propose the use of cassava root instead, which can be planted in poor soils with low to none electricity utilization. Therefore, this research attempts to compare and analyze in what extent such statements works for the mid-south area of Japan, optimizing land use efficiency and costs. The design proposed is an on-farm bioethanol generation in order to reduce transportation costs in general as well as self-sufficiency of electricity and heat through the use of small-scale CHP.

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Author Information
Marisabel Cuberos Balda, Tohoku University, Japan
Takaaki Furubayashi, Tohoku University, Japan
Toshihiko Nakata, Tohoku University, Japan

• Category: Energy: Renewable Energy and Environmental Solutions

Posted by James Alexander Gordon

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