Mazda tests the use of 100% biomass fuel at its Hiroshima Plant

The Mazda Motor Corporation has successfully conducted a demonstration operation of a cupola melting furnace (cupola), the core casting facility installed at its Hiroshima Plant, by fully replacing fossil fuels that emit CO₂ during combustion with bio-coal briquettes, a biomass fuel derived from coconut shells.

The initiative is part of the emissions reduction plan announced by Mazda, which aims to achieve zero emissions in its global plants by 2035 based on the three pillars of “energy conservation,” “shifting to renewable energies,” and “introducing carbon neutral fuels.“ The company ultimately plans to achieve carbon neutrality across the entire supply chain by 2050.

The operation of a cupola that uses biomass fuel 100% has not been confirmed for social implementation in the world, and the company took on the challenge of conducting the demonstration experiment in collaboration with the foundry industry and local partners. In the future, Mazda will expand the circle of regional cooperation and promote an energy circulation scheme for local production for local consumption, aiming for carbon neutral (CN) operation of cupolas using waste-derived biomass fuels such as bio-coal briquettes by fiscal year 2030.

Stable domestic procurement of raw materials is essential for a full conversion to biomass fuels which is in line with “introducing carbon-neutral fuels,” as one of the aforementioned initiatives.  In March 2023, Mazda established the Cupola CN Co-creation Working Group by inviting volunteer companies and organizations to conduct research and development for the shift to biomass fuels, the establishment of production methods, and studies on the local procurement of raw materials. While bio-coal briquettes derived from coconut shells were used in the demonstration experiment this time, Mazda has been working to establish a locally produced, locally consumed energy circulation scheme in Hiroshima and neighboring areas, from biomass waste collection to production, with the aim of revitalizing local industries and contributing to the local communities.

Going forward, the company will work together with the local community to develop the local production for local consumption energy circulation scheme into a cooperative effort among industry, government, academia, and the private sector to realize stable raw material procurement and implementation of fuel conversion.