Agricultural waste turned into energy

Commercial manufacture of cellulosic bioethanol from agricultural residue is expected to be given further impetus after commercial production begins in China next year, experts say.

Chemicals firm Chemtex Engineering Co said work on a new plant, that uses second-generation production technologies, will start soon in a location in South China. The company, a part of Mossi Ghisolfi Group of Italy, is a pioneer in the second-generation technologies and has a cellulosic bioethanol plant in Italy.

"We plan to invest $500 million in China for the conversion of 1 million metric tons of biomass into bio-ethanol and bio-glycols," says Sean Ma, president and chief executive of Chemtex China.