Plants capable of producing 6.6 million tonnes of ethanol are currently under construction in China or going through the approval process, Reuters reports, citing a government researcher.

These projects will support a more than three-fold increase in the country’s production capacity by 2020, Dou Kejun from the China National Renewable Energy Centre told an industry event this week, as cited by the news agency. At the end of 2017, China’s ethanol capacity was around 2.8 million tonnes.

In the autumn of 2017, the Chinese government announced a nationwide E10 mandate by 2020. Demand for ethanol as a result of this move is seen to reach up to 15 million tonnes per year. A portion of that is expected to come from imports as Chinese capacity will not be enough.

China is the fourth largest ethanol producer globally behind the US, Brazil, and the EU.

 

Article by Renewables Now:  China's ethanol capacity expanding to meet 2020 demand - report