Kawasaki Receives First Order for Gasification Combined Heat and Power (CHP) System for CCA-Treated Wood

Tokyo, March 31, 2008 — Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. announced today that it has received an order for a woody biomass gasification CHP system from Koshii & Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan The system employs Kawasaki’s proprietary technology for gasifying woody biomass to generate combustible gas and supplies power and heat via a gas engine. It is the fourth gasifier to be built by Kawasaki and is scheduled for completion by February 2009. It is also the first order for this system that can process chromated copper arsenate (CCA) treated wood.

CCA is a chemical wood preservative containing chromium, copper and arsenic used to protect wood from rotting and damage due to termites. CCA-pressure treated wood had been used in residential settings and exteriors until around 1995 in Japan. Although pressure treated wood containing CCA is no longer used, it is still found in demolition materials. This has posed a problem in recycling demolition materials. Kawasaki worked jointly with Koshii to develop a safe, adequate and efficient conversion technology that turns CCA-treated wood into energy. The woody biomass gasification CHP system safely disposes of CCA-treated wood as industrial waste with less of an environmental impact than direct fired systems.

Kawasaki’s proprietary gasification technology employing a fixed-bed downdraft gasifier features a short start-up time of approximately 30 minutes and a low level of tar contained in generated gas. Once completed, the woody biomass gasification CHP system will be used to provide power and heat to Koshii’s Hirabayashi Plant in Osaka.