Last week, staff based in the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council’s (USGBC’s) office based in Beijing, China participated in a sub-forum during Shanghai Climate Week, reinforcing its commitments to supporting China’s ethanol industry and advancing the country’s low-carbon transition by promoting innovative applications of biofuels.
USGBC Director in China Manuel Sanchez and USGBC Program Manager Ellie Yan attended the forum, joined by representatives including U.S. biofuel exporters and USGBC members ADM and Bunge.
“Building an awareness of ethanol’s new, high-value uses is essential to supporting and expanding China’s ethanol industry,” Sanchez said.
“Through technological upgrading and global partnership, China can unlock greater value for bioethanol, creating hugely significant demand for U.S. ethanol in one of the world’s largest economies.”
The event, themed “Bioethanol as a Platform Molecule for Net-Zero Transition,” was co-hosted by the Peking University (PKU) Institute of Energy, the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation (CPCIF). Shanghai Climate Week brought together industry leaders and researchers, Chinese ethanol producers, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) producers and U.S. biofuel exporters to explore ethanol’s evolving role as a renewable feedstock.
During the forum, PKU’s Institute of Energy released a landmark report, Innovative Applications of Biogenic Ethanol in Green and Low-Carbon Scenarios. The report highlights a strategic transformation for ethanol—from a traditional fuel to a versatile, renewable feedstock for three critical sectors: maritime shipping, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and bioplastics.
The Council has maintained close, ongoing exchanges with PKU and CPCIF, consistently updating Chinese ethanol producers and academic circles on the latest U.S. advancements in bioenergy. The release of this report is a direct outcome of such multilateral collaboration.
“Looking ahead, the report has positioned the U.S. ethanol industry as a reliable, sustainable feedstock supplier for China’s decarbonization targets,” Sanchez said.
“By demonstrating the technical and environmental viability of new applications, this collaborative work has paved the way for future U.S.-China cooperation in the biofuels sector.”
Learn more about the Council’s work in ethanol on the organization’s website.