Japan and the United States will promote joint research on carbon recycling technology, it has been learned. Experts from the two countries will be cross-dispatched with a view to carrying out demonstrations of potential technologies to collect and reuse carbon dioxide generated from fossil fuels at thermal power plants and other facilities.
In collaboration with the United States, which has an oil industry including shale oil and gas, Japan aims to realize decarbonization and fossil fuel utilization.
The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry and the U.S. Department of Energy will add carbon recycling to a memorandum on bilateral energy cooperation, which will be signed by the organizations' top officials. The memorandum clearly states that carbon recycling is the most promising option for reducing CO2 emissions and achieving economic growth at the same time.
Specifically, the two countries will share the results of their research, develop related technologies and conduct experiments with the aim of commercializing the technology. Japan will send experts from the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization to the United States and also accept those from the U.S. side as needed.
In Japan, verification experiments for carbon recycling are already underway in conjunction with thermal power generation facilities in Hiroshima Prefecture, and the technology for the stable recovery of CO2 is almost established. But there are still issues to be addressed in terms of costs before practical applications.
Last year, leading companies in the private sector, including Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. and Idemitsu Kosan Co., set up a fund specializing in this field that raised about 100 million yen and has already begun to support research at universities. The government is also encouraging private-sector initiatives through its partnership with the United States.
Against the backdrop of climate change, there is growing momentum around the world for reducing CO2 emissions. Criticism of coal-fired power plants, which emit large amounts of CO2, has particularly intensified. Europe, which has steered toward renewable energy, has moved forward to completely decarbonize its industries, with France and the Britain announcing their intention to phase out coal-fired power generation by 2022 and 2025, respectively.
Japan, on the other hand, will suspend the use of inefficient coal-fired thermal power plants, but fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas are regarded as important resources for ensuring a stable energy supply. If carbon recycling is put into practice, it will lead to a reduction in the amount of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere, which could help avoid criticism from Europe.
Japan is hoping to deepen its cooperation with the United States and gain the support of the international community.
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