APEC - Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Photos of, from left to right, a tractor operator grinding cornstalks in a field, a man inspecting switchgrass, a handful of wood chips, and a filling station providing E85. APEC Biofuels Home

Chinese Taipei Biofuels Activities

Outline map of Chinese Taipei.

Here you'll find information about Chinese Taipei's work in biofuels. Learn more about its:

Background

Chinese Taipei is promoting the development and use of biofuels to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and imports of fossil fuels. The government supports many research projects focused on advanced biofuels production technologies, such as ethanol from cellulosic biomass and biodiesel from used cooking oil, which don't compete with the food industry.

Production

Biodiesel production in Chinese Taipei was 3.8 million liters in 2007, a substantial increase from 2.4 million liters in 2006. Currently, there are five operating plants with a total capacity of 42.1 million liters per year. One plant is under construction with an annual capacity of 100 million liters per year.

There is no fuel ethanol production in Chinese Taipei, but state-owned Taiwan Sugar Corporation produces about 20-30 million liters of sugarcane-based ethanol every year, mostly for the beverage industry. Two fuel ethanol plants are planned with an annual capacity of 100 million liters each.

Feedstock

The primary feedstock for biodiesel production in Chinese Taipei is used cooking oil. Additional domestic feedstock includes soybean and sunflower, and the government encourages growing these crops on fallow rice paddy fields.

Chinese Taipei is considering ethanol production from sugarcane, sweet sorghum, molasses, and other biomass from agricultural wastes.

Economics

The following charts show specific economic statistics for the member economy.

EthanolUS$/liter
From sugarcane0.62

Source: ITRI 2007

BiodieselUS$/liter
From used cooking oil1.08
From soybeans1.34

Source: ITRI 2007

Biofuels in Use

Sales of E3 (97% gasoline and 3% ethanol) started in 2006, and biodiesel is offered at different blending levels from B1 to B20 (20% biodiesel).

Infrastructure and Vehicles

Nearly 300 service stations offer B1, and E3 is supplied by eight stations. Biodiesel is used by city buses in Kaohsiung City and Chiayi County.

Trade

The biodiesel produced in Chinese Taipei is for domestic consumption, and no import has been recorded. Biodiesel incentives could force the economy to import more soybeans, if biodiesel demand exceeds the supply of recycled cooking oil, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated.

Small volumes of ethanol are imported annually from China, Indonesia, and Thailand for use by the food industry.

Policy

The government plans to introduce an E3 mandate in 2011. It also plans to have B1 available at all gas stations nationwide by 2008 and B2 by 2010. Some policies include:

  • Exemptions from commodity tax and air pollution control fee
  • Incentives to encourage motorists to switch to ethanol gasoline
  • Subsidies provided for demonstration programs

Sources

  1. Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI)
  2. U.S. Department of Agriculture, GAIN Report, 2007 (PDF 23 KB) Download Adobe Reader.