The Chinese government has resolved to promote the use of straw-gasification energy in countryside, as a substitute for highly-polluting coarse coal particles in extensive use in rural areas, according to a directive publicized jointly by the National Reform and Development Commission, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the general department of the National Energy Administration, on Jan. 2.

The directive calls for application of the new clean energy in cooking and heating in farming households, schools, hospitals, and nursing homes, aiming to attain over 85% overall utilization rate in targeted counties and other municipalities.

The directive explains that straw-gasification energy refers to the utilization of straw for the production of hot gas, marsh gas (heat, power), and bio-charcoal via hot gasification or anaerobiosis fermentation technologies.

The directive aims to promote the new energy mainly in grain and cotton production areas in northern-China counties in winter, which have massive output of straw, strong utilization capabilities, and good basic conditions. Large-scale related facilities will be built in those areas.

The directive calls for selecting proper technology, to assure full utilization of the yielded energy, on top of standardization of engineering works to assure quality, innovative operating mechanism for promoting industrialization, creation of new managing units, and establishment of a complete collection, storage, and transport system.

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