Biodiesel and Ethanol Investing

Business Report reports that the Industrial Development Corp. (IDC) was conducting a prefeasibility study on a sugar cane-based ethanol project in Hoedspruit, South Africa. The ethanol industry has not taken off in South Africa, largely because there have been debates about whether to use maize or sugar cane. Two years ago the government decided to remove maize from the crops to be used, to protect food supplies. Even though the consensus is that sugar cane is the preferable crop, the sugar industry has been reluctant to invest until the government creates a mandatory market.