Ensus chief's fears about role in growing industry
Mar 5 2009 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal
THE Teesside firm behind the 400 million litre bioethanol plant, which will become the biggest producer of the green fuel in Europe when it opens this summer, is planning more sites.
Ensus chief executive Alwyn Hughes said he has already discussed co-funding similar projects with existing investors and the European Investment Bank but they would not be in the UK unless the Government ramped up its commitment to the sector.
He said that while the Teesside plant “would be profitable if we were running today”, additional expansion was being held back by the Government’s decision to slow the rate at which green fuels must be incorporated into petrol and diesel under the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO).
The Government had pledged to ensure every litre of fuel sold contained 5% renewable fuel by 2010/11, but it pushed the target back by two years in January and reduced the 2009 target from 3.75% to 3.25%, a decision Mr Hughes described as frustrating and dangerous.
Ensus has always maintained that its plant – which will use 1.2m tonnes of non-food grade wheat a year and turn it into biethanol, high protein animal feed and gas for the food industry – is fully sustainable.
