GM says biofuels suit China transportation

Shanghai, October 21 (Gasgoo.com) A senior executive of GM China Group said at the 4th World Biofuels Symposium that it would be very beneficial for China to adopt a lignocellulosic ethanol industry and associated personal transportation system, the Xinhua reported Monday.

Dr. David Chen, Vice President of GM China Group said at a press conference during the symposium that China can leverage its vast areas of land to grow non-food crops and make ethanol from forestry or agricultural waste, which does not involve the same intensive farming as planting corn.

Considering world-wide environmental, sustainability concerns, GM will be engaged in supporting development of the ethanol industry and transportation system in China, GM executives unveiled at the conference.

In May, GM and Mascoma Corp announced a strategic tie-up to develop cellulosic ethanol focused on Mascoma's single-step biochemical conversion of non-grain biomass into low-carbon alternative fuels to help address the increasing energy demand.

GM leads the auto industry in offering vehicles that can run on either ordinary gasoline or E85 – a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline – or any combination of the two. There are more than 7 million flex-fuel vehicles on U.S. roads, 3 million of which are GM cars and trucks.

The Chinese fuel ethanol market is expected to double in the next few years, despite looming obstacles like the availability of adequate feed-stocks.