State-run CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) said yesterday it was in talks to plant jatropha trees for biofuel in either Indonesia or Cambodia over the next six years.
The refiner is seeking to grow up to 50,000 hectares of jatropha trees as Taiwan aims to cut its reliance on fossil fuels and reduce carbon emissions, CPC vice president Arthur Kung (孔祥雲) told a media briefing.
Seeds harvested from jatropha trees yield oil used in the manufacture of biodiesel.
Jatropha is CPC’s preferred choice for biodiesel as it doesn’t compete with food crops, Kung said.
CPC may even sell the fuel in Europe, possibly pitting itself against BP PLC, Kung said.
CPC has planted 3,682 jatropha trees in Taiwan under a trial program, CPC said in a statement.
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