At "G20 Karuizawa"
Euglena Bio
With diesel fuel
Run the car.

In June 2019, the "G20 Ministerial Meeting on Energy Conversion and Global Environment for Sustainable Growth" (hereinafter, "G20 Karuizawa") was held at Karuizawa Town, Nagano Prefecture.

An exhibition event will be attached to G20 Karuizawa, and Euglena Co., Ltd. will also participate. Matsumoto, who belongs to the Biofuel Division, has been preparing for the exhibition by interacting with related ministries and agencies from around February of that year.

The project, which was not originally planned, started to move when preparations were about to begin. A consultation came in, "Is it possible to use Euglena biodiesel fuel for mobile vehicles such as G20 VIPs?"

"At the venue, Karuizawa, a G7 meeting was held in 2016, at which time Isuzu Motors was operating a bus using conventional biodiesel fuel, but this time it was a moving vehicle for important people. And the use of next-generation biodiesel fuel required various adjustments. "

Matsumoto looks back on that.

The story came up in early June, the month of the event. Negotiations with each ministry were carried out, and it was officially decided a week ago.

The car used is Mazda's "CX-8". Mazda is a manufacturer that has a large lineup of clean diesel vehicles in the domestic passenger car market centered on gasoline vehicles, and has a track record of collaboration with the Hiroshima Motor Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration Conference (Hiro Jiren), in which Mazda participates, in biofuel projects. There was (https://www.euglena.jp/news/180613-2/). The challenge was how to arrange a car from Hiroshima, where Mazda's headquarters is located, to Nagano. Eventually, we were able to obtain the cooperation of affiliated dealers in Nagano Prefecture, and secured the vehicle one week ago.

"There are many cases where safety is a concern as the understanding of biodiesel fuel is not widespread. I am really grateful to the local dealers who were willing to put out the car," Matsumoto said.

Akimoto Deputy Minister of the Environment and Deputy Minister of the Cabinet Office (left) and Deputy Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Seki (right) * As of June 15, 2019

In the mobile vehicle carrying both deputy ministers, Euglena biodiesel fuel was mixed with ordinary light oil. Under the Paris Agreement (an international agreement adopted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21)), Japan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emission levels by 26% from 2013 by 2030. (Https://www.euglena.jp/news/20190617-2-2/).

"Under Japanese law, the upper limit of the mixing ratio of conventional biodiesel fuel is 5%, but the next-generation biodiesel fuel" Euglena biodiesel fuel "has the same properties as commercially available light oil, and the existing diesel engine is 100. % It has been confirmed that it can be used and its performance is equivalent to that of commercially available light oil (in an engine test by Isuzu Motors). "

This quality, which Matsumoto talks about, is a factor that suggests new possibilities for Euglena

Since the biodiesel fuel that has been on the market in the past has a composition different from that of petroleum-based fuel, it has various problems in practical use. For example, due to the composition in which oxidatively deteriorated substances are easily generated, solid substances are ejected from the fuel, causing problems such as clogging of the fuel filter and fuel injection nozzle. Therefore, special measures are required as safety measures. Be done. Such safety issues were a factor that made biodiesel fuel difficult to see.

However, Euglena biodiesel fuel has the same composition as commercially available petroleum-based diesel fuel, and does not require special measures such as safety measures. In addition, since it is derived from plants, Euglena culture stage, leading to carbon offset.

"If we replace all the diesel fuel we normally use with Euglena biodiesel fuel, we can significantly reduce conventional carbon dioxide emissions," Matsumoto emphasizes its significance.

Euglena Biodiesel Fuel (Exhibitor: Isuzu Motors Ltd.), which shows the same numerical value as conventional light oil

Matsumoto was involved in research in the field of organic synthesis at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at university and graduate school. Euglena as my place of employment because I was interested in the environment and energy fields as well as the healthcare field.

"When I go on to a PhD in the Faculty of Pharmacy, many people around me choose to stay in the academia or researchers at pharmaceutical companies, but I wanted to see a slightly different world."

Born in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, it is now a corner of the towering Tokyo Sky Tree. However, if you look at history, it is also a city that was devastated by the bombing of Tokyo during the Pacific War.

"I grew up listening to the history of my grandparents who were in a dire situation in the war. Despite all the different ideas, one of the distant causes of the war is energy problems. Independence in as many places as possible on the planet. I thought that if we could secure energy in a positive way, we could reduce the conflicts in the world. "

Our was taught by an academic advisor in a university laboratory when he was searching for a way to go with such thoughts in mind.

A venture company that has been in business for about 10 years, it is a company that flexibly tackles not only poverty and nutrition issues but also environment and energy issues. Since it seemed that there were relatively few people from the field of chemistry, I also felt that I could make full use of my knowledge of chemistry.

In this way, Matsumoto Euglena Co., Ltd. in 2016.

Matsumoto greets with an informal formula

光合成で生育するユーグレナを活用すれば、二酸化炭素を吸収しながらバイオ燃料を製造できる。農作物が育ちにくい土地でも、水などの資源があれば燃料の原料を確保できる。

Currently, a new project has begun to Euglena mass culture facilities in Indonesia and Colombia to accelerate the large-scale production of Euglena, which is a raw material.

In light of these circumstances, Matsumoto's next challenge is "paid flight of aircraft using bio-jet fuel," which he aims to achieve by the end of 2020.

In January 2020, we acquired ASTM certification, which is an international standard for manufacturing technology for jet fuel to be mounted on aircraft. In February, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's notification was partially revised and enforced in line with this international standard, and Euglena Co., Ltd. can now be used in Japan.

In addition to adjusting the demonstration manufacturing plant, Matsumoto is currently taking on the mission of "realizing paid flights through negotiations and coordination with airlines and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism." Also, that eye is already looking ahead to 2025.

"If a commercial plant that aims to be completed in 2025 is realized, the production capacity of the plant will be about 2000 times the current level, the production cost per liter will be in the 100 yen range, and it is a dream to compete with existing light oil. Euglena biofuels traveling all over Japan is becoming a reality. "

Euglena 's biofuel business will continue to make Japan an advanced biofuel country.

* Diesel fuel = light oil

Posted in April 2020