Japan draws up 2017 target for bio-ethanol use

Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s Supply Structure Advancement subcommittee developed a policy, under Japan’s new Strategic Energy Plan, that will require the petroleum-refining industry to raise bio-ethanol use to 500,000 kiloliters (kl) of crude-oil equivalent in Fiscal 2017, from this year’s target of 210,000 kl, with a specific milestone set for each year leading up to Fiscal 2017. Hideo Matsui, the Petroleum Association of Japan’s senior managing director, said that the new target was technically feasible. Japan’s Strategic Energy Plan, which was approved by the Cabinet this June, has a goal to replace more than 3% of the country’s gasoline consumption with non-fossil fuels by fiscal 2020. (September 15, 2010)