COFCO project to begin operations by year-end

China’s COFCO said construction of its 200,000-ton fuel ethanol project is complete. It expects to formally begin plant operations in December, according to the news released by the Agriculture Bureau of Beihai City. The project is part of China’s 1-million-ton non-grain fuel ethanol trial project in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, located in Beihai City’s Hepu Industry Park. COFCOs fuel ethanol plant will use cassava as raw material, instead of corn. The project will involve a total investment of 1.3 billion yuan (US$169 million). (August 27, 2007)