Biomass-fired power plant on the cards for Fiji

The owner of the Kawasaki biomass-fired power plant in Yokohama, Japan, could potentially open another in Fiji.

Company officials from the Japanese plant and Fiji's President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau met on 21 June 2011 to discuss the possibility of setting up a biomass plant in the country.

Fiji is an ideal country in which to develop a bioenergy industry, due to the high availability of wood material and other renewable resources.

The company is now reported to be drawing up its proposed investment in Fiji and looks likely to go head as the Foreign Affairs Ministry believes the project complements the government's existing efforts to replace imported fossil fuels with renewable energy, while at the same time slashing costs.