EU ethanol biorefineries have produced more food and animal feed than fuel in 2023, according to new data published by the European Renewable Ethanol Association, ePURE.
Renewable ethanol is produced from agricultural raw materials, such as cereals and sugar beet, as well as from waste and residues such as straw, according to ePURE.
ePURE members, which represent 85% of the EU’s installed capacity, and other European producers of renewable ethanol produced 6.5 million tonnes of food and feed co-products, including animal feed.
This compares to 5.08 million tonnes of renewable ethanol. Additional co-products included 1.46 million tonnes of captured biogenic carbon dioxide (CO2), which replaces fossil CO2 in beverage and greenhouse applications, ePURE said.
This biogenic carbon, which is already present in the atmosphere, is released by plants and agricultural waste as they decompose, according to the association.
EU ethanol production
Commenting on the figures, ePURE director general, David Carpintero said: “European biorefineries help the EU to reduce carbon emissions, secure food systems, ensure energy independence and build agricultural and industrial autonomy.
“The EU needs to realise their full potential to help meet our carbon neutrality targets, strengthen our food systems and pave the way for a more sustainable future.”
All of the crops used by the audited biorefineries were grown by European farmers, with 85.9% of the renewable ethanol produced last year used for fuel, with an average of 79.1% greenhouse gas (GHG) savings compared to petrol.
Of the remaining ethanol production in 2023, 6.5% was used for industrial uses including hand sanitiser, and 7.6% was used for food and beverage uses, according to ePURE.
Of the 6.44 billion litres of ethanol produced in 2023, 48.3% was from corn, 24.8% from wheat, 10.4% from sugars, and 5.3% from other cereals and starch-rich crops.
Ireland’s production of renewable ethanol was the second lowest in the EU last year, at 10 million litres. Only Portugal, with an output of three million litres, produced less.
Among EU countries, France produced by far the most biorefined ethanol last year, with an output of just over 2 billion litres, followed by Germany with a production of over 1.1 billion litres.
In 2022, the EU renewable ethanol sector produced 5.9 million tonnes of food and feed co-products, including animal feed, compared to 4.5 million tonnes of renewable ethanol.
The European Renewable Ethanol Association, ePURE represents 41 member companies and associations with around 50 plants across the EU and UK.