1 September 2008 - With the inauguration of a bioethanol plant in Germany today, Danisco Sugar takes on a new business area.
At a ceremony today, Danisco Sugar inaugurates a new, state-of-the-art plant for the production of bioethanol based on sugar beet. The plant, which is located adjacent to Danisco Sugar’s sugar factory in Anklam in Germany, represents an investment of about DKK 200 million and has a capacity of 56 million litres of ethanol annually. The raw material used is sugar juice extracted from beet at the sugar factory.
CEO Mogens Granborg comments on the inauguration:
’It is with great pleasure that we today turn on the tap for this new initiative in the energy area. From outline to finished plant, the project was completed in just two years in an intense process which went according to plan thanks to the effective and committed efforts of our employees and advisers, and strong support from the local authorities.
With this investment in bioethanol, we enter a very attractive growth market and take an important step in our strategy of expanding our business area through new sugar beet applications. At the same time, we underpin our position as a top-effective producer as, by combining sugar and ethanol production, we will achieve considerable synergies that will further improve utilisation of our existing Anklam facilities.’
Positive effect on the climate
Danisco Sugar’s bioethanol production offers significant environmental benefits.
'Compared to petrol, using the bioethanol we produce in Anklam will involve 60% lower CO2 emissions. Thus, the reduction by far exceeds the expected EU minimum requirement for the area of 35%. Moreover, sugar beet is the most effective crop for ethanol production. The yield per hectare is twice as high as that of for instance wheat, so this investment is very much in keeping with our ambitions within sustainability,’ says Executive Vice President Jesper Thomassen, Technology & Operations.
125 years’ experience
In connection with the inauguration of Danisco Sugar’s bioethanol plant, the Anklam sugar factory will be celebrating its 125th anniversary.
Mogens Granborg and State Minister for agriculture, environment and consumer protection Dr. Till Backhaus, among others, will be attending the ceremony in Anklam today at 1.00 pm.