Contributing to a Low-Carbon Society
Approach and Initiatives toward a Low-Carbon Society
Extensive climate change caused by global warming is a problem that affects the sustainability of the entire planet, and as such, directly affects the future of the Ajinomoto Group. Accordingly, initiatives are being carried out to reduce greenhouse gases generated not only by production processes, but also throughout all group operations and entire product lifecycles. Specifically, the group intends to search for new applications of amino acids and other materials, and develop and provide products that emit less greenhouse gas emissions over their lifecycle toward realizing a low-carbon society.
The Ajinomoto Group has achieved steady progress in reducing CO2 emissions across its operations through initiatives based on the Ajinomoto Group Zero Emissions Plan. Going forward, efforts will focus on developing technologies that can further reduce the amount of raw materials and energy being used in the fermentation of amino acids, the group's primary production process, and increase production efficiency that enable the same quantity of products to be made from less raw materials. Furthermore, the group is working to reduce energy usage by developing technologies that decrease the amount of sub raw materials needed to extract amino acids and other substances in the fermentation process.
Progress is also being made in transitioning to renewable energy sources to reduce dependence on oil. While petroleum accounted for 36% of the total amount of energy used by the group in fiscal 2004, the proportion was lowered to 11% by fiscal 2010. The proportion of biomass fuel increased to 5% of energy used in fiscal 2010, owing to the start-up of biomass boilers at the Kamphaeng Phet Factory of Ajinomoto Co., (Thailand) Ltd.
The group intends to utilize unused biomass that does not compete with food resources for the energy needed to manufacture its products. To broaden initiatives for using biomass energy group-wide, the company is examining regions with abundant plant resources including Southeast Asia, South America, and Europe.
Click here for more details: Zero emission goals and fiscal 2010 results
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Improving Amino Acid Fermentation Production Processes
Compared to food production that directly processes agricultural produce, the Ajinomoto Group uses large amounts of water and energy to produce and purify amino acids in the fermentation of agricultural produce such as sugarcane, a primary raw material . In fact, about 70% of the group's total amount of CO2 emissions originates from fermentation-related operations.
In response, the Ajinomoto Group is committed to reducing CO2 emissions and environmental impact by applying lower resource fermentation technology in amino acid fermentation production processes, and transitioning to biomass energy using carbon neutral energy sources.
Initiative 1: Applying lower resource fermentation technology
Over many years, the Ajinomoto Group has been recycling resources in the production of amino acids. Going forward, the group aims to use resources more efficiently, introduce lower resource fermentation technology that reduces environmental impact and the amount of edible food resources required, and further develop fermentation processes.
Specifically, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. is entering the partial industrialization test stage for four new technologies that drive fermentation production with fewer resources. The first technology improves fermentation efficiency as a means to drastically reduce the usage of raw materials. The second is designed to reduce the amount of sub raw materials used as well as the amount of wastewater and byproducts generated in the product purification process.
The third technology is applied to independently produce raw materials for fermentation, including sugarcane juice and tapioca starch, and use biomass generated from the process as a fuel source. Production plants that make the umami seasoning AJI-NO-MOTO® are now preparing to employ this technology in their operations.
The fourth new technology has been developed to reduce food resource usage by using the cellulose of inedible parts of plants as the main raw material for fermentation.
Edible food resources such as sugarcane and corn are used in the amino acid fermentation process. Demand for these materials is increasing, however, owing to population growth, economic expansion in emerging countries, and their usage as energy crops. Consequently, prices are increasing considerably and supply is unstable.
The application of these four new technologies will enable the Ajinomoto Group to make significant contributions in saving resources; decrease environmental impact in various ways, such as by cutting CO2 emissions and water discharge; and limit the use of food resources in an effort to use them more effectively.
Initiative 2: Introduction of biomass boilers
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A biomass boiler and huge silo in which about one month's supply of rice husks (10,000 tonnes) can be stored
In December 2008, a major amino acid production plant of the Ajinomoto Group, the Kamphaeng Phet Factory of Ajinomoto Co., (Thailand) Ltd., replaced its heavy-oil boilers with biomass boilers that burn rice husks obtained from rice harvested in the local area.
The supply of rice husks is stable throughout the year since rice is harvested three times annually in Thailand. A previously unused agricultural resource, rice husks are a carbon-neutral1 fuel. With the installation of the biomass boilers, the factory has been able to reduce its CO2 emissions by about 100,000 tonnes per year.
The Ajinomoto Group applied to register this initiative as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)2 with the Japanese and Thai governments in 2009–the first time for the group to apply. Approval was granted by both countries, and as a next step, the group is preparing an application to the United Nations for registration as a CDM project.
1. The concept of carbon neutral poses that incinerating plants have no impact on atmospheric CO2 emissions, as the CO2 absorbed by photosynthesis in their growth period offsets the CO2 emissions from incineration.
2. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is one of the mechanisms set forth in the Kyoto Protocol. It enables projects that reduce emissions in developing countries to be funded by entities in industrialized countries in return for credits for any emissions reductions that result.
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions through the Ajinomoto Group Products
While greenhouse gases are emitted in business activities of the Ajinomoto Group, products that reduce such emissions through their use are also being developed. Progress is being made in determining the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by products over their entire lifecycle, including usage. Furthermore, the group is working to promote the use of products such as feed-use amino acids, as well as technologies that contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Initiative 3: Research on the group's carbon footprint
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A product labeled with carbon footprint information exhibited at Eco Products 2008
The carbon footprint1 of a product is an indicator for quantitatively measuring its environmental friendliness by quantifying how much greenhouse gases have been emitted over its entire lifecycle. Currently, the ISO 14067 international standard for the carbon footprints of products is now being developed for release in 2012.
From an early stage, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. has been conducting basic carbon footprint research, regarding it as a potentially useful indicator for realizing a low-carbon society. Using internationally accepted calculations, the carbon footprint of the group's global products made with amino acids and other fermented materials is being determined, and disclosure of their contribution to environmental conservation has commenced. Beginning with carbon footprint calculations of feed-use amino acid products, in fiscal 2010 the company registered the data with the Carbon Footprint Pilot Program, an initiative of Japan's Ministry of the Economy, Trade and Industry, and gained certification under Product Category Rules2.
In fiscal 2011, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. is broadening the scope of its products subject to Product Category Rules and carbon footprint certification to include all major products made with fermentation materials. In the future, the company intends to provide information on how it is contributing to the environment over the entire life-cycle of fermentation materials.
1. Carbon footprint represents the accumulated greenhouse gas emissions of a product calculated at the time of its release, and based on a lifecycle assessment from production through disposal.
2. Product Category Rules are used for calculating and labeling the carbon footprint of products and services, as determined by Japan's Ministry of the Economy, Trade and Industry.
Initiative 4: Environmental contribution of feed-use amino acids recognized by Japanese carbon credit systems
As the Ajinomoto Group expands its feed-use amino acids business globally, it is working to reduce CO2 emissions from production processes. Moreover, the group is jointly conducting feed-use amino acids research on greenhouse gas reduction with certain Japanese research institutes. Results suggest that the products' usage can reduce nitrogen oxide (N2O) emissions, a major greenhouse gas derived from the livestock industry.
Based on the results, a project that effectively reduces greenhouse gases through the use of low-protein feed fortified with feed-use amino acids was certified under the Japan Verified Emission Reduction (J-VER)1 carbon offset credit scheme and the Domestic Credit System2 in fiscal 2010. Under both of these systems, when pig farmers participating in the project reduce greenhouse gases, they can receive credits in proportion to the amount of CO2 emissions reductions, and then earn revenue by selling them.
The environmental advantages of feed-use amino acids have now been officially recognized in Japan with these certifications. The Ajinomoto Group regards this as a major breakthrough and significant result. It intends to help fight global warming by further promoting the value of this proven technology worldwide.
1. Japan Verified Emission Reduction (J-VER) is the carbon offset credit scheme of the Japanese Ministry of the Environment. It officially certifies the greenhouse gas reductions achieved by businesses, which can then trade the credits and earn a return.
2. The Domestic Credit System is overseen in Japan by the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry, the Ministry of the Environment, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The system promotes collaborative efforts to reduce CO2 emissions by small and medium-sized enterprises by facilitating the transfer of funds, technologies and expertise from large companies. The verified amounts of emission reductions can then be sold as credits.
Reducing N2O, a greenhouse gas produced by livestock
Nitrogen compounds contained in livestock excrement become oxidized in the soil and air, and are then released into the atmosphere as nitrogen oxide (N2O). N2O has a greenhouse effect about 300 times higher than that of CO2, and its emission volume is the third highest in Japan, after CO2 and methane. Nevertheless, research has demonstrated that when well-balanced, low-protein animal feeds fortified with feed-use amino acids are used, the amount of nitrogen compounds in pig and chicken excrement can be reduced by between 20 and 30% compared to commonly used livestock feed. Accordingly, the same rate of N2O generated from ensuing farming operations can also be reduced. Given these results, feed-use amino acids can contribute in the fight to reduce global warming.
