Updated by the Forest Circular Economy Editorial Department on November 29, 2025, 11:24 PM JST
Editorial Board, Forest Circular Economy
Forestcircularity-editor
We aim to realize "Vision 2050: Japan Shines, Forest Circular Economy" promoted by the Platinum Forest Industry Initiative. We will disseminate ideas and initiatives to promote biomass chemistry, realize woody and lumbery communities, and encourage innovation in the forestry industry in order to fully utilize forest resources to decarbonize the economy, strengthen economic security, and create local communities.
Sendai Port Biomass Power LLC, jointly funded by Sumitomo Corporation, Tokyo Gas, Hokuriku Electric Power, and Sumitomo Corporation Tohoku, commenced commercial operation of the Sendai Port Biomass Power Plant in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, in November.Prioritizing sustainability, the plant uses wood biomass certified under forest certification systems as fuel. By supplying low-environmental-impact renewable energy to the Tohoku region on a long-term and stable basis, it will significantly contribute to realizing a carbon-neutral society in Japan.
This power plant has an output capacity of 112 megawatts and is expected to generate approximately 800,000 megawatt-hours annually (enough to power about 260,000 households).It will be one of Japan's largest dedicated wood biomass power plants. The plant will exclusively use wood biomass certified under forest certification systems. Specifically, the fuel will consist of thinned timber, sawmill waste, and low-grade wood generated during forest growth processes. Sumitomo Corporation, responsible for fuel procurement, will strive to ensure the proper utilization of forest resources and maintain traceability.
Each participating company is committed to achieving its respective carbon neutrality goals through this project. Sumitomo Corporation aims for group-wide carbon neutrality by 2050, while the Tokyo Gas Group has declared its "Challenge for CO2 Net Zero."Furthermore, Hokuriku Electric Power is applying its expertise in wood biomass co-firing power generation, cultivated over many years, to this project to achieve its goal of "developing over 1 million kilowatts of renewable energy capacity in the early 2030s." Sumitomo Corporation Tohoku, a regional integrated trading company, also plans to contribute to the region's sustainable development and the realization of a carbon-neutral society through the introduction and operation of locally rooted renewable energy projects.
This wood biomass power plant, one of the largest in Japan, represents a crucial step toward achieving carbon neutrality within Japan's energy mix.Sustainable utilization of woody biomass directly establishes a cycle that recycles domestic forest resources as energy and reconnects them to the maintenance and cultivation of healthy forests. In Japan, a country facing advanced challenges, this project represents an initiative bearing diverse missions: realizing a carbon-neutral society, achieving resource self-sufficiency, and promoting appropriate and sustainable forest management.
■Power Plant Overview
Power Plant Name: Sendai Port Biomass Power Plant
Operator: Sendai Port Biomass Power LLC ※Established January 2021
Investing Companies: Sumitomo Corporation 45%, Tokyo Gas (investing through its wholly-owned subsidiary Prominent Power Co., Ltd.) 25%, Hokuriku Electric Power 25%, Sumitomo Corporation Tohoku 5%
Location: 16-10, Minato 4-chome, Miyagino Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture
Generation output: 112 megawatts
Annual power generation: Approximately 800,000 megawatt-hours
Reference Links
Commencement of Commercial Operation (Sendai Port Biomass Power LLC)
