Abengoa to idle ethanol plant in US

Spain-based renewable energy and engineering company Abengoa is set to temporarily idle an ethanol plant in the US.

The plant in Illinois allegedly produces 88 million gallons of ethanol annually but is due to idle because of current poor production margins, mainly in part because of the summer drought experienced by the US.

Abengoa was authorised by the US Environmental Protection Agency to help produce and market E15 fuel and currently has six ethanol production plants in the country, with a second generation plant being constructed in Kansas.