Mannheim, 22 November 2007 CropEnergies AG, Mannheim, welcomes the German federal governments Roadmap Biofuels, which was presented yesterday, as a commitment to the sustainable promotion and use of biofuels
In conjunction with the aim for biofuels as agreed upon by the EU, this will lead to an accelerated development of the German and European biofuel market. The increase of the limit of bioethanol allowed to be blended to petrol from 5 to 10 vol.-% and the willingness of the German automotive industry to offer more vehicles which can be run on high percentages of bioethanol particularly deserve to be mentioned. CropEnergies AG sees this as an affirmation of its expansion program which will triple its production capacities to approx. 750,000 m³ bioethanol per year by the financial year 2009/10.
In Wanze, Belgium, a bioethanol plant of the next generation is being built. It will have a production capacity of up to 300,000 m³ bioethanol per year and will do particular justice to the sustainability of biofuels especially by using biomass as primary energy. At the moment, the concreting work is being carried out. The structural steelwork and the core sections of the plant have commenced. The start of operation of the plant is planned for the second half of 2008.
Zeitz already today the largest bioethanol plant in Europe ? is being expanded. The increase of the production capacity by 100,000 m³ to 360,000 m³ bioethanol per year will take place in two steps. Besides the expansion of the existing grain plant, a separate fermentation and distillation which will produce bioethanol on a sugar beet basis is being built. The concreting work for production facilities, pipe line bridges and cooling towers have been finished. The structural steelwork has already been started. At the same time, machinery is being installed. The complete production capacity will be available in spring 2008.
The CropEnergies AG
The CropEnergies Group - a member of the Südzucker Group - is an established leading European producer of bioethanol for the fuel sector.
Crop stands for creative regeneration of power. Energy in the form of bioethanol is produced from renewable resources, grain and sugar beets. With subsidiaries in Germany, France, and Belgium, CropEnergies has established itself as a bioethanol producer in a growing market in just a few years and it operates todays largest bioethanol plant in Europe in Zeitz, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. CropEnergies considers itself a pioneer on the German bioethanol market and expands its market position in Europe. The shares of CropEnergies AG (ISIN DE000A0LAUP1) are listed in the Prime Standard at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.