A REDUCTION OF 1 MILLION TONNES OF C02 A YEAR THANKS TO ETHANOL IN FRANCE
· Bioethanol: reducing net GHG emissions by an average of over 50%
- As a plant-based product (derived from beet and cereal), bioethanol is a renewable energy. The CO2 emitted further to bioethanol combustion in engines is of atmospheric origin, captured and absorbed by plants as they grow. Moreover, bioethanol does not emit particles during combustion.
- Source: life cycle analysis studies applied to 1st-generation biofuel used in France, published on 8 April 2010 by ADEME-MEEDEM-MAAP-France Agrimer
An more eco-friendly fuel, an exemplary industry
- With domestic bioethanol production reaching 12 million hectolitres, France is the leader in Europe. Bioethanol is produced from sugar beets and cereal (corn and wheat) via a fermentation process involving the sugar contained in the storage organs of these plants. Sugar and starch processing residues can also be used as raw materials.
· Local sourcing
- French bioethanol facilities source their plant-based raw materials locally. Most bioethanol used in France is produced in France
· Powerful facilities
- The French bioethanol industry has recently invested over a billion Euros in five new world-class industrial units. There are distilleries producing bioethanol on biorefinery premises. These ultra-modern plants were designed according to an eco-friendly approach. Solutions implemented to reduce CO2 emissions include capturing CO2, the anaerobic digestion of effluents and geothermal energy producing steam with boilers to burn biomass or household waste.
· Optimisation of plant-based raw materials
- French ethanol production also generates by-products such as beet pulp and cereal grains, with a high protein content. They are used in animal feed, thus eliminating the need to import vegetable protein. Furthermore, the fermentation CO2 emitted while manufacturing bioethanol can be captured for re-use in food-processing, to make for carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) for example.
