Bioethanol Explained

Ethanol is being used increasingly for vehicle fuel throughout the world at levels ranging up to 85%. Ethanol is a viable renewable alternative to mineral ⁄ fossil fuels such as petrol. Vireol intends to build and operate plants for the production of approximately 540,000 litres per day (lpd) of anhydrous alcohol (known more commonly as ‘bioethanol’) from each plant.

In May 2003, the European Union (EU) adopted legislation (Directive 2003 ⁄ 30 ⁄ EC) that requires Member States to promote the use of biofuels for transport.

The main objectives of the Directive are to:

reduce emissions of carbon dioxide from transport across Europe
reduce the EU’s future reliance on external energy sources and in particular fossil fuels

The Directive specifies the following targets:

by 31 December 2005, 2% of all petrol and diesel by energy value sold in the UK should be derived from biofuels
this target increases to 5.75% by the end of 2010.

In addition, the UK government has announced its intention to introduce a Renewable Transport Fuel Objective from 2008 which will require 5% of all UK fuel sold on UK forecourts to come from a renewable source by 2010.

The development of Vireol’s bioethanol plants will facilitate the supply of bioethanol in the UK and contribute to the meeting of targets specified by the EU and the UK Government to:

increase the percentage of biofuels in road transport fuels
decrease emissions of greenhouse gases from the road transport sector.