Success Factor of Woody Biomass Supply Chains in Japan

Sammanfattning: There is an abundance of forest in Japan, yet a lack of utilization of woody biomass in energy systems. Small-scale woody biomass can enable a supply chain based on domestic forest integrated with local industry and demands, in turn facilitating local vitalization. Successful creation of collective energy systems is strongly connected to supply chain design based on local conditions and stakeholder integration. A supply chain perspective is key in enabling woody biomass energy systems. In these supply chains lies a complex stakeholder network across different industries, in turn incurring a need to understand both formal factors, such as technology, and informal factors, such as social relations and culture across these industries.The purpose of this study is to investigate the main challenges, success factors and convergence or divergence of perceptions of key stakeholders across the supply chain of small-scale woody biomass energy systems in Japan. In this study, the concept of small-scale woody biomass involves a supply chain based on domestic forest and integrated with local supply and demand. If the challenges and success factors, as well as balance of perceptions, can be highlighted and managed, small-scale woody biomass can be enabled by incorporating a system’s approach in supply chain analysis. This study employs a methodology incorporating literature studies and semi-structured interviews with experts to create an initial “pentagon model” presenting hypothesized success factors, including both formal and informal elements divided into five categories: technology, structure, social relations & network, culture and interaction. This is a base for the case studies, involving in-depth, semi-structured interviews with four key stakeholders in the woody biomass energy system supply chain, exploring their perceived challenges and success factors. The case studies are carried in Kyushu, the southernmost of the Japanese main islands, known for an abundance of forest alongside activity in the field of woody biomass.The main success factors emphasized by one or more of the interviewed case study stakeholders are respect of values & traditions, transportation infrastructure, business model integration, relationship & trust, local vitalization and biomass quality control. Interesting findings related to the relative success factor perceptions include the high emphasis in the upstream supply chain on respect & traditions of the forest industry, and lack of emphasis downstream. Moreover, biomass quality control is more discussed by the downstream supply chain as a main success factor. The success factors and balance of perceptions found in this study indicate the importance of both informal and formal elements in supply chain success, as well as managing a potential imbalance of perceptions. This study is meant to serve as a base for further studies on factors of the woody biomass energy system supply chain, and promote a system’s approach incorporating both formal and informal aspects in this research.