In Japan, Kyodo News reported that Japan plans to provide Ukraine with biofuel manufacturing technology to support reconstruction efforts. According to the report, the Japanese government expects the biofuel technology to create a new industry in Ukraine, an agricultural nation abundant in resources that can be used as fuel. It is expected that Japanese firms […]
In Japan, researchers at Kyoto University hope to launch the first biodegradable satellite into space in 2024. They hope the use of renewable materials will one day help mitigate the growing problem of space waste. The first satellite—dubbed LignoSat—will be about the size of a coffee mug and incinerate when it reenters Earth’s atmosphere. Favorable […]
In Japan, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Oriental Petrochemical (Taiwan) Co., Ltd., and Marubeni Corporation have partnered to establish a supply chain for biobased purified terephthalic acid. The collaborators hope to use the PTA to produce biobased polyethylene terephthalate, with the first plant starting up in Tawan later this year. Under the terms of the agreement, […]
In Japan, bag and accessory maker Yoshida is using a biobased fiber produced by Toray Industries in its latest line of Tanker bags, which are set for launch in Spring 2024. The fiber—dubbed Ecodear 510—is made from sebacic acid and pentamethylenediamine made from feedstocks castor oil and corn, respectively. Ecodear N510 exhibits heat resistance as […]
In Japan, alternative protein startups Umami United and IntegriCulture have received government funds to help advance product development and scale-up. Tokyo-based Umami, which produces an egg alternative from konjac flour, bittern and wood-eared mushrooms, received $6.5 million. Company CEO Hiroto Yamazaki recently told Green Queen that Umami was in talks with plant-based food makers in […]
In Japan, A.P. Moller-Maersk announced that the company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the City of Yokohama and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical (MGC). This collaborative agreement will focus on the development of green methanol bunkering infrastructure in Yokohama as Maersk’s 16,000 TEU green methanol-powered container vessels will be delivered since 2024. Maersk has […]
In Japan, A.P. Moller-Maersk (Maersk) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the City of Yokohama and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical (MGC). This collaborative agreement will focus on the development of green methanol bunkering infrastructure in Yokohama as Maersk’s 16,000 TEU green methanol-powered container vessels will be delivered since 2024. It also highlights the parties’ […]
In Japan, starting in fiscal 2024, NYK will conduct full-scale trials of long-term use of biofuels, which are considered to have net-zero CO2 emissions, in navigating its existing heavy oil-fired vessels. Moving forward from the previous short-term trials, NYK will comprehensively verify the safety and stable procurement of biofuels when used over a long period. […]
In Japan, on December 12, NYK, JERA Co., Inc. and Resonac Holdings Corporation an agreement to jointly study the supply of ammonia as fuel to ships. As part of the Green Innovation Fund Project of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), NYK is conducting research and development of a tugboat equipped with […]
In Japan, biodegradable waste from plant and animal sources released into freshwater ecosystems is a significant environmental concern. Nonetheless, current methods for assessing water quality seem more or less impractical due to their complexity and high costs. In a promising development, a team of Japanese researchers has successfully constructed a self-sustaining and buoyant biosensor using […]
