The Japanese government is to allow imports of fuel additive ETBE made from US corn-based ethanol, in a move which has been welcomed by US Grain Council. The move comes as part of Japan's updating of its previous sustainability policy, which had only allowed the sugarcane-based ethanol to be imported and used in the production of ETBE. The change in the rules will now potentially allow up to 95.5 million gallons of US-produced ethanol to be imported annually. Ethanol producers have long complained that they are unable to compete with cheaper foreign imports, but this new policy could help them overcome their problems.
The Japanese government is to allow imports of fuel additive ETBE made from US corn-based ethanol, in a move which has been welcomed by US Grain Council. The move comes as part of Japan's updating of its previous sustainability policy, which had only allowed the sugarcane-based ethanol to be imported and used in the production of ETBE. The change in the rules will now potentially allow up to 95.5 million gallons of US-produced ethanol to be imported annually. Efforts by the US industry to demonstrate reductions in emissions from their product helped secure the revised position.