The Potential of Biofuels in China
This IEA Bioenergy Task 39 report looks at the potential of biofuels in China. Although climate change and energy security are of concern to China, it is not clear which of these drivers has been the primary motivator for biofuels development. However, the policies that China has implemented so far to help develop biofuels have resulted in the country becoming the world’s third largest ethanol producer. The country currently produces about 3 billion litres of ethanol and about 1.14 billion litres of biodiesel per year. Although the Chinese government has set ambitious targets to increase annual biofuels production to12.7 billion litres of ethanol and 2.3 billion litres of biodiesel by 2020, it is highly unlikely that these targets will be met. It is worth noting that biofuels development and use received little attention in the country’s recently released 13th five-year plan. Unlike other forms of renewable energy, no exact output targets were given for biofuels.
