Under a contract from NEDO, the company has put into operation in its Okayama plant a woody biomass heat generator, using surplus woody biomass such as bark produced in local areas. Liquid natural gas (LNG) and heat from woody biomass will be used, according to fluctuations in fuel prices and procurement conditions, for the company’s drying process of diatomaceous earth products. By operating the biomass facility stably, fossil fuel consumption is expected to be reduced by 20% throughout the Okayama Plant, and carbon dioxide generation is expected to be reduced by 1,000 tons per year

Showa Chemical news release, September 4, 2019