Thirsty for fuel energy, China has begun promoting the use of gasohol, an alternative fuel made from ethanol combined with gasoline, in its major farming provinces.

Corn, potatoes and sugar cane serve as major raw materials for ethanol, chich can account for up to 10 perecnt of gasohol. China is encouraging Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Anhui and Henan, all major farming provinces, to turn their surplus produce into the alternative fuel.

It is estimated that 3.3 tons of corn can produce one ton of fuel ethanol with byproducts of foodstuffs, cooking oil an food additives.

The officer said that the promotion of the alternative fuel opened a new channel of commercial use for the province's surplus grain production and will result in an income rise of farmers.
The alternative fuel can also help reduce carbon monoxide emissions from automobiles by 40 percent, thus alleviating air pollution.

As of this month, all automobiles in Heilongjiang are required to use gasohol. A similar move was also launched in Jilin province.

The use of gasohol is also being promoted in Liaoning, Anhui and Henan provinces, but is not obligatory.

The movies expected to extend to four more provinces by the end of 2005: Hubei, Shandong, Hebei and Jiangsu, but only 21 cities in the provinces have been selected for pilot programs.

A fast growing automobile, and energy market, China is now the second largest oil importer in the world, the promotion of the alternative fuel is expected to reduce its dependence on crude oil imports during a time of soaring oil prices.