LAOS: China to invest in ethanol production
Published: 03/16/2010, 12:35:34 PM
Chinese ethanol producer Henan Tianguan aims to build an ethanol plant in southeast Asia in the next three years, in support of the government's move to curb greenhouse gas emissions, according to Argus.
Henan Tianguan wants to build a 200,000-300,000 tonnes/year cassava-based ethanol refinery in Laos. The company is growing cassava, a key feedstock for ethanol production in Asia, on a 500km² area in Laos.
Construction of the plan could begin within three years, coinciding with expectations that China will eliminate its tariff on imported ethanol. The tariff has already been reduced this year to 5% from the previous 30%.