Anticipating Asia: Asian Biofuels Consumption Expected to Grow Substantially
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Conditions are ripe for biofuels demand and production to boom in Asia over the next few years, as steady growth in countries such as China, India and Japan will prompt an “astronomical” rise in fuel demand, says Tammy Klein, assistant vice president of global consulting firm Hart Energy.
…For U.S. technology developers, the region offers an abundance of feedstocks such as agricultural wastes and sugarcane, but those seeking to prove their technologies will also need to confront a host of issues that could complicate the process. Many countries in Asia are still developing, and governments change hands every few years, so long-term regulatory support is hard to come by, according to Huiming Li, Asia director at Hart Energy, who also points out that there are no policies yet that compare to the U.S. renewable fuel standard. Policies that are in place are often created to benefit local producers, so U.S. companies would be well-served to form joint ventures with companies in targeted countries.
Lack of infrastructure is another major issue that needs to be taken into consideration. READ MORE
