Lab opens to help promote energy efficiency

BEIJING, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- A laboratory to test vehicle fuels and fuel additives has been opened in Beijing by the Germany-based BASF, a global chemical heavy-weight, and the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES).

The lab, China's first independent engine test facility, unlike those of Sinopec or PetroChina, will provide data to help China's decision makers set and supervise regulatory standards for fuels, the China Daily reported on Wednesday.

"We are sharing the most advanced engine-testing technology and experience gained from our global market presence with CRAES," said Johnny Kwan, managing director of BASF China.

Meng Wei, president of CRAES (which comes under the State Environmental Protection Administration, or CEPA) said the country currently has no government standard for fuels and fuel additives to promote energy efficiency and environmental protection.

He expected such a regulation to come in the next two years.

The CEPA is responsible for regulating the quality of fuels of motor vehicles and reducing emissions.

BASF and the Chinese research body have together invested 5-6 million yuan (616,000 to 740,000 US dollars) in the new lab. Its current work focuses on testing the quality of gasoline and additives, said Meng.

But there are plans to extend the research to diesel and electric- gasoline hybrid car engines.

Under an agreement signed by BASF and CRAES in June last year for setting up the laboratory, the German chemical company will render financial support to the research lab and provide advanced technical expertise.

By the end of this year, BASF will have a total investment of about 2 billion euros (2.4 billion dollars) in China, said Kwan.

According to CRAES sources, the air quality of around one third of the country's big and medium-sized cities is not up to standard. Much of the problem is because of emissions from vehicles.

China has promised to ensure 80 percent of the country's 113 major cities meet government requirements in air quality by 2010, said a CEPA official on Tuesday.