Agro Ludens Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Kiyataka Saga) announces the launch of a demonstration project for biofuel production in collaboration with Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. (hereinafter "Chubu Electric") and agricultural corporation Yozakura Farming Co., Ltd. (hereinafter "Yozakura Farming") on farmland in Okuma Town, Fukushima Prefecture. Rice cultivation using water-saving dry direct seeding method Agro Ludens possesses technology to separate rice into carbohydrates and proteins, liquefy the carbohydrates, and ferment the proteins using koji mold to produce rice-derived mycoprotein※1,2. Meanwhile, Chubu Electric is promoting the cultivation of low-environmental-impact rice as part of its new business initiatives, while Yozakura Farming advances sustainable agriculture by cultivating specialty rice varieties on conservation-managed farmland. Through this collaborative demonstration project, Agro Ludens, Chubu Electric, and Yozakura Farming will verify the biofuel production process. Specifically, rice will be cultivated on 10 hectares of farmland in Okuma Town using the water-saving dry direct seeding method※3. The harvested rice will be processed at Agro Ludens' Nasu facility (Ohtawara City, Tochigi Prefecture) into sugar liquid, a raw material for biofuels. Additionally, the protein component of the rice will be evaluated for effective utilization in alternative protein sources such as rice-derived mycoprotein, aiming to maximize resource efficiency throughout the production process. ※1 Rice-derived mycoprotein: Mycoprotein is a general term for protein produced using filamentous fungi. Agro Ludens' proprietary rice-derived mycoprotein is made by fermenting rice protein with koji mold, a traditional Japanese fermentation agent, and is characterized by a meat-like texture and savory umami flavor. ※2 Patent No. 7264566 "Meat-like Koji Fungal Body Obtained from Solid Culture of Koji Mold and Method for Producing the Same," Patent No. 74415