In Japan, Mitsubishi Corp and Idemitsu Kosan are conducting a feasibility study on a $92 million potential investment in a 53 to 132 Mgy ethanol plant, using waste biomass or other non-food sources as a feedstock. The plant would be located in North America, China or Southeast Asia.
Last August, Mitsubishi announced plans for 500 million gallons in ethanol production capacity by 2017 as Japan ramps up on its biofuels conversion. Also, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced a goal of producing ethanol from silver grass at a cost of 40 yen per liter. Current Japanese technologies produce ethanol from celluosic biomass at a cost of 2,000 yen per liter. Meanwhile, the national government has recently abandoned its plan to establish Miyakojima as a “biofuel island” in Okinawa Prefecture. The decision resulted from the lack of support by the oil industry for the government’s proposed E3 mandate.
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