China’s First 3,000-ton Cellulosic Ethanol Production Line Nears Completion

---

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The construction of China’s first 3,000-ton cellulosic ethanol production line will be completed this month by Henan Tianguan Group (Nanyang, Hennan Province), marking an important milestone in China’s ethanol production history. Instead of using crops, the production line manufactures ethanol with cellulosic straws, which were often treated as waste. Henan Tianguan Group has invested$6.8 million on the project, planning for the consumption of 18,000 tons of corn straws annually.

According to Project Manager Kang Dongliang, cellulosic ethanol has three advantages. “First, cellulosic materials are recyclable, and fuel ethanol produced by the materials will help to release energy strain. Secondly, it will be conducive to China’s food security since the production does not require grains as raw material. Thirdly, farmers’ income will be raised through selling straws at about$26.7 per ton, which ethanol manufacturers may accept,” he said.

Serving as a basic chemical material, ethanol is widely used in producing synthetic rubber, plastic, dyestuff, and more. In an era of high oil prices, however, people turn to ethanol in searching for cleaner energy substitute. Ethanol gasoline is made by mixing fuel ethanol with normal gasoline at a certain proportional rate. It can remarkably improve qualities and functions of gasoline while reducing the emission of atmospheric pollutants, such as carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon.

In 2006, China consumed 46 million tons of gasoline, and the number is increasing 8% every year. The country hopes to raise the proportion of ethanol gasoline to 50% of the total gasoline consumption by the end of 2010, making the demand of fuel ethanol jump to 5.8 million tons in the year. Until now, there have been four fuel ethanol producing companies in China, including Hennan Tianguan Group, with a formed production capability of 1.02 million tons per year.

Henan Tianguan Group started its biologic energy business in 1997 and has established a 200,000-ton and a 300,000-ton crop-consuming fuel ethanol production line. It is reported that the company plans to build five sets of 10,000-ton cellulosic ethanol production lines in China by the end of 2010.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) provides marketing communication services ranging from industrial database solutions to market forecasting, custom analytics, and specialty promotions that support high-level image campaigns.