Bioethanol plant for UK

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Bioethanol plant for UK

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Joey

Joined: 03 Nov 2004
Posts: 191

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 05 8:51 am Post subject: Bioethanol plant for UK

Work begins on UK's first bioethanol production facility

British Sugar has today confirmed that work has now begun on the UK's first bioethanol production facility at Wissington, near Downham Market, Norfolk.

Following extensive planning, the project recently received two major boosts. Firstly the Government announced the introduction of a renewable transport fuels obligation (RTFO), for which the company had been pressing for some time. This was quickly followed by the granting of planning authority for the plant by King's Lynn Borough Council.

These two decisions were important milestones in the project. The final element, which has allowed the project to proceed, was agreement last week between British Sugar and the National Farmers' Union on the contractual arrangements for the supply of the sugar beet needed to supply this plant.

This plant is designed to utilise sugar beet which would previously have been used to produce non-quota or 'C' sugar for export onto the world market. Under a recent World Trade Organisation ruling, such exports are no longer permitted, giving rise to concerns amongst growers about the viability of continuing to produce this additional sugar beet.

Commenting on the project, British Sugar CEO, Mark Carr said, "We are delighted to get this project underway. The team have been presented with numerous challenges along the way, political and economic, and they have successfully met them all. Site preparation work has already begun and I expect to have this plant in production early in 2007 - and that is a further challenge to the project team! This is the UK's first bioethanol production facility; the beginning of an exciting new industry, and is a clear demonstration of our innovative approach to the changing business environment in which we operate."

The plant is designed to produce 70 million litres of bioethanol each year, utilising all of the UK's previously exported beet sugar.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 05 9:26 am Post subject:
So, is it worth importing sugar, which must use oil products to ship it into this country, and then for us to turn sugar beet into ethanol? Would it not be better to grow a bio-diesel crop instead - although is ethanol required to make bio-diesel? What I'm asking is this a good idea or just a way for British Sugar to make money?

Joey

Joined: 03 Nov 2004
Posts: 191

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 05 10:24 am Post subject:
bioethanol would be a petrol replacement not diesel. Biodiesel is made from veg oil and methanol (which could be derived from a bioethanol type process). Of course it's a good way for British Sugar to make money. I suspect that is why they are doing it. For the same reasons as Tate and Lyle importing cane sugar.

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 05 10:52 am Post subject:
Subsidies is the first thing that springs to mind. It bugs the crap out of me that a story which should be inspirational leaves us worrying about cynical profiteering.

Joey

Joined: 03 Nov 2004
Posts: 191

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 05 11:23 am Post subject:
Wether we grow cereals in Eurpope for bioethanol, or sugar beet or oilseed rape for biodiesel there will be subsidies involved until CAP gets sorted All of these commodities are imprted and exported to and from the UK. The point is that this plant means that 70 million litres of fossil fuels will not be required. It also guarantees some UK beet pulp for the horsey types amongst us

Blue Peter

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 2400
Location: Milton Keynes

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 05 11:30 am Post subject:

Joey wrote:

The point is that this plant means that 70 million litres of fossil fuels
will not be required.

Not necessarily. I believe that there are a number of views (well, two, at least) on whether bioethanol provides more energy than its production consumes, or not. It would be interesting to know the facts in this case,

Peter.

Joey

Joined: 03 Nov 2004
Posts: 191

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 05 12:11 pm Post subject:
https://www.esru.strath.ac.uk/EandE/Web_sites/02-03/biofuels/quant_bioethanol.htm Here's some for starters.

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 05 12:58 am Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

So, is it worth importing sugar... for us to turn sugar beet into ethanol?

This scheme is for the use of British-grown (ie East Anglian) sugar beet. The quotation explains that this will reduce the amount of sugar that would otherwise be exported, this would reduce the depression of the world price of the commodity, presumably to the advantage of "thirld world" producers.

Taking Peter's point about the energy cost of production. The US concern seems to be to reduce dependancy on imported transport fuel, almost regardless of the cost in other forms of domestically-produced energy. (And seeking to satisfy the farming lobby.) Does anyone know anything of the planned process for Downham Market?

Treacodactyl wrote:

Would it not be better to grow a bio-diesel crop instead - although is ethanol required to make bio-diesel?

As to whether any particular piece of land would produce more energy by growing sugar or oil-seed crops, I suspect that may depend on the local farming conditions.
Most biodiesel is made using methanol (though ethanol potentially can be used). Methanol can also be produced renewably, but its worth remembering that the methanol only contributes about 1/20th of the carbon in biodiesel, so its not the be-all and end-all.

Personally, I think the development should be welcomed.
Is there something somehow different about agricultural subsidy for biofuels and 50% grants to install solar pv systems which are then eligable for ROC payments regardless of how the electricity is used... ???

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 05 7:08 am Post subject:

dougal wrote:

Treacodactyl wrote:

So, is it worth importing sugar... for us to turn sugar beet into ethanol?

I understand that, but I was thinking along the lines of the total cost of production without looking into all the grants etc. From what little I know about sugar production it seems to be a good idea at the moment, but if the grants and world trade were sorted?

For example we could produce one tonne of sugar from sugar beet and have 10 gallons of ship fuel. Or we could convert one tonne of sugar beet to 10 gallons of ethanol, use a couple of gallons of diesel in its production, ship in a ton of sugar cane burning 10 gallons of ship fuel etc... Out of interest, it would be good to see the total numbers.

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