Green energy production from municipal sewage sludge in Japan

A 15 m high tsunami, triggered by the magnitude nine Great East Japan Earthquake on 11 March 2011, caused a nuclear accident by damaging the cooling systems of three reactors in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. This event required more than 100,000 people to be evacuated from their homes (WNA, 2013). In the wake of this major incident, the promotion of green energy became one of Japan’s national goals. In this process, municipal sewage sludge was identified as an untapped resource with great potential. The Japanese government was prompted to implement policies to support the development of suitable technologies to benefit from the sludge to the greatest possible extent. This case study features three leading projects where green energy is produced from municipal sewage sludge: gasification in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, biochar production in Hiroshima City and the use of biogas as vehicle fuel and city gas in Kobe City.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Clean Water and Sanitation