Bioethanol is manufactured from biomass. Plants containing sugar and starch are fermented, and the alcohol produced is distilled. What plants are actually used is generally dependent on their local availability and their price. 

CropEnergies primarily uses cereals – mainly wheat, but also barley, triticale and maize– as well as sugar beet syrups. In Brazil, producers use sugar cane, in the USA mostly maize. Other crops are also suitable for bioethanol production, for example potatoes or cassava (manioc). 

The extraction of bioethanol from lignocellular raw materials such as straw or wood is still in the development phase. Further intensive research is still needed to achieve efficient and indeed economically viable production. CropEnergies AG has initiated its own research projects in this field, and will be extending the production of fuel to cover other biomass not containing sugar or starch as soon as the technological, logistical and economic conditions are right.