China switches from gasoline to ethanol

China plans to switch from gasoline to ethanol on a national scale. According to the Chinese Chinji Shikan weekly, the authorities will begin a large -scale campaign for the development of the production and sales of ethanol throughout the country next year.

The reason for this step is the rapid increase in oil prices and the lack of electricity in large cities in the south of the country, RIA Novosti reports. In addition, the widespread use of ethanol will improve the environmental situation on the eve of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

On Monday, it was announced the beginning of the active production of ethanol in the provinces of Hubei, Shandong, Habei and Jiangsu. Prior to this, ethanol was used only in a few cities of China. One of them is Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province in the center of the country.

Journalists of the Chinese newspaper visited one of the city gas stations. It turned out that the daily volume of ethanol sales is only 200 liters here, while sales of gasoline and diesel fuel reach 8 thousand 500 liters. "Many drivers are afraid that new fuel can harm the engine of the machine," the gas station explained.

In order to rectify the situation, the authorities of Zhengzhou issued an order so that the cars belonging to state structures are refueling only ethanol.

Ethanol is made of grain. Of the three tons of agricultural product, you can get a ton of fuel. Then the resulting substance is mixed in a certain proportion with ordinary oil.

The plans of the Chinese leadership have many opponents. "At present, it is too early to start a national campaign to replace gasoline with ethanol, since production technologies should be improved to reduce costs and increase efficiency," a source in one of the large Chinese oil companies told Hong Kong Kong Kong Kong Kong Kong Kong Kong.