October 24, 2005
Nice Group announced in mid October that it will invest
NTD 5 billion to construct a large-scale biodiesel plant. The business group says that based on the total area of uncultivated farmland in Taiwan, the nation could achieve an annual production value for biodiesel of approximately
NTD 8 billion.
A Nice Group subsidiary began making biodiesel in October 2004, and has produced 3,000 kilotons in the year since then.
In attendance at the announcement conference, President Chen Shui-bian said that the government would provide full support through investment and tax incentives. Chen noted that government subsidies for planting on the 240,000 hectares of fallow farmland in Taiwan come to
NTD 11.8 billion.
Using all available fallow land to plant high oil content crops would allow an annual biodiesel production volume of 250,000 liters. Adding the 80,000 liters of biodiesel that could be produced from used vegetable oil, Taiwan could potentially make up to 330,000 liters of biodiesel each year. This would be equivalent to 5.5% of the 6 million liters of diesel Taiwan consumes annually. Adding this biodiesel to the fuel supply would reduce Taiwan's annual emissions of carbon dioxide by nearly 900,000 kilotons.
President Chen also said that Taiwan should learn from other countries such as France and Germany which require a 5% biodiesel content in diesel fuel.
The president went on to suggest that Taiwan look to Brazil for the development of ethanol. Taiwan's sugar cane and sweet potatoes are ideal for the production of ethanol. Brazil currently requires a 25% ethanol content in its gasoline.
(United Daily News)
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