
The commissioning of the 49.9MW Karatsu Biomass Power Plant currently being developed by Karatsu Biomass Energy LLC was postponed from the originally planned December 2024 to March 2025, according to an announcement by Renova, the company’s largest shareholder, made on November 6, 2024.
“We require more time to adjust the boiler and turbine equipment for long-term stable operation,” said Renova’s statement.
When operational, the power plant in Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture, will be fueled using imported wood pellets and palm kernel shells and is expected to generate approximately 350GWh annually.
All of the generated power will be sold to Kyushu’s grid operator through the feed-in-tariff (FIT) scheme at a fixed price per kWh. In FY2017, when the power plant was FIT certified, the FIT for large-scale woody biomass power plants was 24 yen per kWh for 20 years. According to the statement, Renova expects to generate revenue through the scheme until November 30, 2044.
In addition to Renova, which owns 35% of Karatsu Biomass Energy LLC, Toho Gas, JA Mitsui Lease, and INNOCENT own 34%, 16%, and 15%, respectively. Construction of the power plant started August 2021 with Kansai Electric Power being in charge of owner’s engineering.