Hiroshima | Leverkusen, 29 March 2023. The Research Association of Biomass Innovation for Next Generation Automobile Fuels (“Research Association”) and Mazda Motor Corporation (“Mazda”) are pleased to announce Mazda’s participation as a full member of the association. The Research Association was established on July 1, 2022 by ENEOS Corporation, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Subaru Corporation, Daihatsu Motor Co. Ltd., Toyota Motor Corporation, and Toyota Tsusho Corporation. Mazda’s entry brings the total number of participating companies to seven.
The Research Association promotes technological research on the use of biomass as well as efficient production of bioethanol fuel for automobiles to realize a carbon-neutral society. On October 25, 2022, the Research Association concluded with Okuma Town in Fukushima Prefecture the Basic Agreement on Establishment of New Business Facilities, and launched initiatives aimed at promptly and appropriately resolving challenges faced by the community. The research on improving production technology for bioethanol fuel and using CO2 generated during bioethanol fuel production, which the Research Association has been promoting as part of a range of diverse options for achieving carbon neutrality, coincide with the idea promoted by Mazda of providing more options with its multi-solution strategy, and this synchronicity led Mazda to take the step of joining the Research Association.
Hiroyuki Yamashita, Senior Principal Engineer responsible for technological research at Mazda, said, “We are very honored to have received this invitation from the Research Association of Biomass Innovation for Next Generation Automobile Fuels. Through the Research Association, we will work together with other member companies to promote research and development on production technology for bioethanol fuel and other technologies. We will make every effort to increase the potential of carbon neutral fuels, a promising option for achieving a carbon neutral society.”
In addition, Koichi Nakata, Chairman of the Board of the Research Association of Biomass Innovation for Next Generation Automobile Fuels, stated, “Carbon neutral fuels are a leading energy option for realizing a carbon neutral society. We are delighted that Mazda, which has accumulated considerable knowledge and technology relating to carbon neutral fuels, has become our new partner. The Research Association will further promote research on production technology for bioethanol fuel and the use of CO2 generated during that process.”
In Europe, Mazda has been a member of the eFuel Alliance since 2021. The Alliance brings together organisations and interested parties that support the goal of establishing and promoting CO2-neutral e-fuels and hydrogen as a credible and real contributor to reducing emissions in the transport sector.
Mazda is advocating that effective CO2 emissions reduction should be achieved by two complementary approaches: firstly, the uptake of fully electric vehicles to replace combustion engine vehicles, and secondly, by progressively replacing fossil fuels with carbon neutral fuels in both electrified and existing internal combustion engine cars.
