Korea Leads Marine Biofuel Industry
(Arirang News) Marine plants are being cultivated in waters off the southwestern coast of Korea.
This is seaweed named gracilaria, which was used generations ago to treat fevers.
However, nowadays, this plant is primarily used as a raw material in cosmetic goods and healthy foodstuffs.
…Gracilaria, which grows in both tropical and temperate waters, has also been identified as an important energy source. This is a bio-ethanol research institute in Goheung County, South Jeolla Province.
A bio-ethanol plant is being built at the site and this institute was the first in the world to secure the technology to create bio-ethanol.
…Goheung County has already made a 15-hectare-aquafarm in waters off the Philippines and is planning to expand it to 100 hectares. It is also expected to invest a total of 15 billion won, or 13.8 million US dollars over the next three years in the marine biofuel business.
Marine bio-ethanol has been selected as one of the government’s 17 new growth engine industries and in the top 10 core technologies in the renewable energy sector. READ MORE