Taipei: Taiwan Sugar Corporation has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the US Grains and BioProducts Council (USGBC), establishing a framework for bioethanol technology exchange as the island moves to accelerate its transition towards low-carbon energy, Biofuels International Magazine reported.
The agreement is intended to support Taiwan’s national strategy of achieving net-zero emissions and expanding green energy capacity. Under the partnership, both sides will collaborate on advancing bioethanol production, identifying suitable alternative feedstocks, and integrating new production technologies.
Taiwan Sugar acknowledged that sugarcane alone would be insufficient to meet future bioethanol production requirements. The first phase of the partnership will therefore focus on identifying and assessing alternative feedstocks, with initial findings expected within a year.
The agreement also feeds into Taiwan’s ambitions in the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) sector. Taiwan has set a target of achieving at least 5 per cent SAF usage in international flights by 2030, and bioethanol is seen as a key input in developing these fuels and reducing carbon emissions across road, maritime, and air transport.
Representatives from the USGBC highlighted the potential for Taiwan to stabilise its fuel supply and reduce costs by importing competitively priced US ethanol in the near term, while progressively building domestic production capacity over time. Taiwan Sugar’s leadership described the agreement as a milestone in Taiwan-United States green energy cooperation, saying it would reinforce the island’s energy resilience and support its circular economy goals.
