Shire council still negotiating with Ethtec to provide matching funds for ARENA grant

In Australia, the Newcastle Herald newspaper reports that Muswellbrook Shire Council agreed to continue negotiating with Ethtec a potential A$10.4 million grant that would go towards a pilot cellulosic ethanol plant. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has awarded Ethtec an A$11.9 million grant for the project that is dependent on matching funds. Originally a Chinese investor was meant to put up the funding but when that fell through, the shire council agreed to consider being the matching investor although some on the council think the project is too speculative for public funding.