CNPC explores bio-ethanol fuel production from cassava

China National Petroleum Corportion (CNPC), parent of Petrochina and the country’s biggest oil and gas producer, said it plans to set up a bio-ethanol fuel project in Zhoushan in the Zhejiang Province in east China. CNPC will produce ethanol fuel from imported dried cassava and will invest 32.6 billion yuan (US$5.14 billion) for the project, which is expected to produce 300,000 tons of ethanol fuel annually. Cassava has a low production cost and high output and is thus one of the more suitable sources for biofuels. (November 16, 2011)