China injects 10.5 billion yuan in rural biogas project

China has invested 10.5 billion yuan (US$1.53 billion) from state treasury bonds to develop biogas in rural areas in the last five years, benefiting 10.64 million rural households. Development of biogas in rural areas has become a strategic part in implementing the central government’s policy on energy saving and emissions reduction by various localities, said Hong Fu, former vice-minister of agriculture. The central government will inject 2.52 billion yuan (US$366.8 million) of funds from the treasury bonds into biogas development in the countryside in 2008. According to Hong, China now has more than 200,000 people working in the sector, who are in charge of management, spreading knowledge and techniques, and providing service in building and using the biogas facilities. (July 21, 2008)