Micro-algae biomass production facility begins operation
05 Apr 2023
A mass micro-algae biomass production facility, Chitose Carbon Capture Central located in Sejingkat here officially began operation yesterday (Apr 4).
Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia Takahashi Katsuhiko was present at the opening ceremony of the facility.
“I come to have a site visit and be briefed on the facilities and technology available here.
“The facility is set up by the coal-fired power station which creates carbon dioxide (CO2), and is one of the challenges we have to accommodate in creating the green economy.
“Therefore, I’m really looking forward to hearing from them about how they capture CO2 and convert it into green energy,” he said.
Chitose Group in a press statement said that the construction of five-hectare (ha) microalgae production facility called “Chitose Carbon Capture Central (C4)” was completed and the production of microalgae has begun in Sarawak.
The project is funded by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO).
Chitose aims Zero Carbon Emission through photoautotrophic microalgae production and through MATSURI project, which aims at the establishment of a microalgae-based industry replacing the petroleum-based industry.
At the same time, Chitose aims at developing diverse products used in daily life from microalgae including fuels, plastics, foods and toiletry in collaborations with our business partners.
C4 is expected to demonstrate the efficient and scalable production of microalgal biomass (utilising PhotoBioReactor technologies).
At C4, the exhausted gas from the neighboring coal-fired power plant is used as a carbon source, and the microalgal biomass produced will be used for sustainable productions of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and other products.
C4 is expected to produce 350 tons of microalgal biomass per year fixing 700 tons of CO2 per year.
Chitose Group is a family of biotechnology companies operating mainly in Southeast Asia and Japan.
They are creating new values in the fields of agriculture, medical, food, energy, chemistry and others through “Technological development capabilities in the biotechnology field by constantly promoting economic rationality” and “Business development capabilities for drawing a path towards commercialisation by understanding the essence and limitations of biotechnology”.
Source: New Sarawak Tribune
