Chapter 36
The Readiness Levels of Japan
Supported Biomass Energy Conversion
Technology Development Projects
in Emerging Southeast Asia: Verification
of the J-TRA Results
Issui Ihara, Andante Hadi Pandyaswargo, and Hiroshi Onoda
Abstract We compared the readiness levels of Japan supported biomass energy
conversion technology development projects in emerging Southeast Asia measured
with two different methodologies; (1) levels as stated by the project fund provider,
and (2) Technology Readiness Assessment (J-TRA) method. Results show that while
the first method could tell the general idea about a technology development progress,
the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of J-TRA is better at indicating the project
bottlenecks.
Keywords Biomass energy · Southeast asia · J-TRA · Technology readiness ·
Japan technology
36.1 Introduction
Japan’s strategy in diversifying its energy supply including from biomass (METI,
Cabinet decision on the new strategic energy plan (provisional translation) 2014) and
Southeast Asia’s high rate of traditional use of biomass energy (IEA 2017) has created
a situation where many technology development projects for biomass energy conversion flourished in the emerging Southeast Asia region under the support of Japanese
organizations and Japanese private companies (Asia Biomass Office 2013). These
projects vary in terms of the feedstock type and technology type. They also exist in
different levels of readiness (Ihara et al. 2019). To understand about the readiness of
these technology development projects, we have established a database of projects
that took place in Thailand, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Philippines, Myanmar, Malaysia,
Cambodia, and Laos that received support from Japan, by collecting information
manually from open and semi-open (accessible through registration) data online.
I. Ihara
Delloitte Tohmatsu Consulting LLC, Tokyo, Japan
A. H. Pandyaswargo (B) · H. Onoda
Graduate School of Environment and Energy Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
e-mail: andante.hadi@aoni.waseda.jp
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Kishita et al. (eds.), EcoDesign and Sustainability II, Sustainable Production, Life
Cycle Engineering and Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6775-9_36
541
The Readiness Levels of Japan
Supported Biomass Energy Conversion
Technology Development Projects
in Emerging Southeast Asia: Verification
of the J-TRA Results
Issui Ihara, Andante Hadi Pandyaswargo, and Hiroshi Onoda
Abstract We compared the readiness levels of Japan supported biomass energy
conversion technology development projects in emerging Southeast Asia measured
with two different methodologies; (1) levels as stated by the project fund provider,
and (2) Technology Readiness Assessment (J-TRA) method. Results show that while
the first method could tell the general idea about a technology development progress,
the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of J-TRA is better at indicating the project
bottlenecks.
Keywords Biomass energy · Southeast asia · J-TRA · Technology readiness ·
Japan technology
36.1 Introduction
Japan’s strategy in diversifying its energy supply including from biomass (METI,
Cabinet decision on the new strategic energy plan (provisional translation) 2014) and
Southeast Asia’s high rate of traditional use of biomass energy (IEA 2017) has created
a situation where many technology development projects for biomass energy conversion flourished in the emerging Southeast Asia region under the support of Japanese
organizations and Japanese private companies (Asia Biomass Office 2013). These
projects vary in terms of the feedstock type and technology type. They also exist in
different levels of readiness (Ihara et al. 2019). To understand about the readiness of
these technology development projects, we have established a database of projects
that took place in Thailand, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Philippines, Myanmar, Malaysia,
Cambodia, and Laos that received support from Japan, by collecting information
manually from open and semi-open (accessible through registration) data online.
I. Ihara
Delloitte Tohmatsu Consulting LLC, Tokyo, Japan
A. H. Pandyaswargo (B) · H. Onoda
Graduate School of Environment and Energy Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
e-mail: andante.hadi@aoni.waseda.jp
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Kishita et al. (eds.), EcoDesign and Sustainability II, Sustainable Production, Life
Cycle Engineering and Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6775-9_36
541