TRE HOLDINGS CORPORATION and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc. (MGC) have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly assess the feasibility of producing green methanol from woody biomass and waste in Japan.
The project represents a potential breakthrough in the use of domestic forest resources to create low-carbon fuels and chemicals, with the feasibility study centred on a proposed facility in Chiba Prefecture.
Under the agreement, TRE will take the lead in sourcing and processing woody biomass and waste plastics, including material supplied in cooperation with the Chiba Prefecture Forestry Cooperative.
The initiative places particular emphasis on utilising forest residues and thinnings in line with local forestry management practices, aiming to establish a stable and sustainable biomass supply chain.
MGC will use the biomass-derived feedstock to produce green methanol via synthetic gas conversion.
As a vital industrial chemical with applications across plastics, fuels and adhesives, methanol is increasingly viewed as a key enabler of industrial decarbonisation.
When derived from biomass and waste, green methanol offers a low-carbon alternative to traditional fossil-based feedstocks, contributing both to emissions reduction and to the circular economy.
The collaboration leverages MGC’s Carbopath platform, which integrates CO₂, biomass and waste into a comprehensive recycling-oriented value chain.
By combining TRE’s experience in waste transformation with MGC’s expertise in methanol technology, the companies aim to accelerate the domestic development of carbon-neutral fuel and raw materials.
The partners anticipate that commercial-scale production of biomass-based green methanol could support Japan’s broader decarbonisation targets, while also promoting regional economic activity through the use of local forestry resources.
TRE HOLDINGS partnership to explore biomass-based green methanol production
