Name: Aoi Morikawa
Department / Position: Domestic Business Units
Specialization / Responsibilities: Biochar business, new business creation, J-Credit application related to rice cultivation and livestock farming.
University: Waseda University
Major / Area of Study: Department of Geomechanics and Petroleum Production Engineering/ Research on CCS.
How I joined Green Carbon: Wanted to learn about business models for decarbonization projects.
Background: After graduating from the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Waseda University, I advanced to the graduate school at the same university and am currently enrolled in the master’s program.
Hobbies / How I spend my free time: Kickboxing / Watching professional baseball (I am a fan of Tokyo Giants) / Overseas travel.
Student Activities / Organizations: Getappers (下駄っぱーず)
Q. Please tell us about yourself, including your career background.
My name is Aoi Morikawa, and I’m a first-year master’s student at Waseda University’s Graduate School.
My interest in initiatives for a decarbonized society was sparked during high school. I encountered English learning materials that focused on European wind power generation and the microplastic issue, which opened my eyes to these critical topics.
At the university, I explored a wide range of fields including resources, development, circular economy, and the environment. Among these, I was particularly drawn to energy development, as it forms the foundation of human life. This led me to join the Rock and Oil Production Engineering Lab. Currently, my research focuses on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) technology, which is highly anticipated as a key measure against global warming.
Q. What led you to pursue your current job?
My participation in a program focused on building a CCUS value chainand evaluating its economic viability was a pivotal experience that deepened my interest in decarbonization business. Through this, I realized that even the most advanced technologies struggle to achieve widespread societal implementation if they aren’t also economically feasible.
My goal is to work in decarbonization projects within the energy sector in the future. As a first step, I wanted to broaden my perspective by learning about decarbonization business models in primary industries. I applied for the Green Carbon internship with the aim of gaining practical knowledge and a deeper understanding of business conceptualization and value creation.
Q. What kind of work are you involved in? Please tell us about your job responsibilities.
Currently, I’m involved in creating new businesses that leverage biochar, which is gaining attention as an environmentally friendly soil amendment. Bringing these ventures to fruition presents many challenges, including selecting appropriate processing locations and methods for biochar, as well as proposing suitable land and crops. The daily process of gathering information, making new discoveries, and engaging in deep discussions to tackle these issues is incredibly fulfilling. Moving forward, we plan to establish more efficient production and sales methods and prepare for the verification of biochar’s effects as we head towards pilot testing.
I’m also engaged in J-Credit application processes for both rice cultivation and livestock farming. For rice cultivation, I’m responsible for verifying and managing various data from farmers for the applications. While this involves many detailed tasks, I find it rewarding to work collaboratively with the team. In the livestock sector, I’m deepening my expertise by reviewing materials from the GHG Protocol and IPCC, and even taking on the challenge of calculating emission reductions. This hands-on approach is helping us prepare for the commercialization of these initiatives.
Q. What would you like to challenge yourself with in the future?
I’m eager to venture into new business domains. My goal is to leverage Green Carbon’s accumulated expertise and data to generate new value that extends beyond the traditional boundaries of primary industries.
My immediate focus is to fully dedicate myself to the biochar business and ongoing projects. Through hands-on experience in the field, I aim to develop my knowledge and skills. Looking ahead, I hope to materialize ideas that address challenges in agriculture, turning those “I wish there was a service like this” thoughts into tangible solutions and leading new endeavors.
Q. How do you see yourself in 10 years, and what are the challenges you’re excited to take on ?
In 10 years, I aspire to be a professional who supports both stable energy supply and decarbonization. Specifically, I aim to be someone who can drive the societal implementation of decarbonization technologies from the perspectives of economic viability and inter-industry collaboration.
My research exchange in Scotland last year was incredibly inspiring. I witnessed firsthand how administrative bodies, local communities, and businesses collaborated to integrate technologies like offshore wind power and hydrogen-fueled vehicles into the local fabric. I want to leverage these experiences with practical initiatives to deepen my technical knowledge and global perspective while I’m still a student. My goal is to continually take on new challenges and contribute to the realization of a sustainable society.
Q. Finally, please share a message for those who want to work at GreenCarbon.
At Green Carbon, you can experience the forefront of decarbonization business. Because you’re constantly exposed to new information in every task, I believe it’s an especially attractive environment for those with a strong sense of curiosity.
It’s a place where you can discover what you truly want to do, whether you have clear motivations like wanting to be involved in environmentally friendly initiatives or learning about agriculture-related businesses, or even if you have a more general desire to challenge yourself with new business creation.
