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Bioethanol is a bio-fuel used with petrol. Produced from a renewable source, bioethanol has positive effects for the environment: around 60% savings on greenhouse gas emissions compared to petrol, giving twice the energy that is required for its production.Bioethanol is produced from cereals and sugar beet in Europe and from sugarcane in Brazil. Bioethanol does not threaten food production: just 3% of total acreage of beet and cereals would produce sufficient bioethanol to give a 7% average mix in France (2010).
NB: European directives stipulate that 10% of European fuel (by energy content) must be from renewable sources by 2020 (equivalent to 19 million cubic metres).
Usage (in France)
Direct incorporation is already commonplace for bioethanol or ETBE (Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether), which is produced from a combination of bioethanol (49%) and isobutylene (51%). This is supported by French regulations.
E85 super-ethanol, which can be used in Flex-Fuel vehicles (which run just as well on bioethanol, petrol or a mix of the two), is a fuel which is 85% bioethanol and 15% petrol. More than 300 French service stations supply this fuel.
SP95 – E10 is a fuel containing up to 10% of bioethanol. In France, more than 2,500 service stations distribute this fuel, launched in April 2009. Almost all cars put into circulation after 2000 are compatible with the SP95 - E10.
Other products
Bioethanol produces co-products that are rich in energy (beet pulp, sugarcane bagasse) or protein (brewer's grain) which can be used in animal feed instead of imported soya press cake.Industrial facilities
Tereos produces bioethanol from sugar beet, sugarcane and cereals in plants in Europe (Aalst, Artenay, Bucy, Chrudim, Dobrovice, Lillers, Lillebonne, Morains and Origny) and Brazil (Andrade, Cruz Alta, Severinia, Tanabi, Vertente and Mandu). This industrial capacity can produce up to 1.5 million cubic metres of alcohol-ethanol per year.
For more information about bioethanol : www.bioethanolcarburant.com
