Sojitz, Hitachi Zosen launch potato waste ethanol project in China

In Japan, Sojitz and Hitachi Zosen have launched a project for production of ethanol from potato starch residue in the Keshan State Farm in Harbin City, in China’s Heilongjiang Province.

The project is being conducted jointly with Harbin-based Beidahuang Potato Industry Group, a potato processing firm under the management of the General Bureau of State Firms of Heilongjiang Province.

The project is scheduled to run until March 2014, producing ethanol for fuel use and DDG to verify the profitability for commercialization.  The ethanol will be blended with gasoline for an E10 vehicle fuel.