Ensus idles UK bioethanol for foreseeable future

UK-based bioethanol producer Ensus has ‘temporarily’ taken its 450 million gallon capacity facility offline for the second time since it started operations in 2010.

In a statement the company says a ‘poor wheat harvest in the UK last year has had an adverse impact on the quality and price of the crop as a feedstock’ that is used within the plant.

‘Alongside that, unfortunately, the European ethanol market continues to be challenging as the price of ethanol has not risen in line with input costs, while rising gas prices have pushed our costs up considerably too,’ said an Ensus spokesperson.

Biofuels International has been told that the 100-strong staff based in Teeside will remain ‘employed and on full pay’.

The facility needs around 1 million tonnes of wheat a year to run at full capacity but it has been reported as adding between 20% and 30% of maize to supplement its needs after last year’s poor harvest.

‘We remain confident in the long term future of the biofuels sector. Ensus is able to supply genuine environmentally sustainable ethanol to satisfy demand, but unfortunately market conditions are working against us at the moment,’ says Ensus CEO Peter Sopp. ‘We believe it is critical that the government continues to support the use of high quality sustainable biofuels.’