Audit confirms ethanol industry’s significant production of food and feed

European ethanol biorefineries produced more food and animal feed than fuel in 2024, according to audited data released today by ePURE.
ePURE members – representing 85% of EU installed ethanol production capacity – and other European producers of renewable ethanol produced 6.9 million tonnes of food and feed co-products including high-protein animal feed and 5.4 million tonnes of renewable ethanol last year, according to the audit. Additional co-products included 1.54 million tonnes of captured biogenic CO₂, another strategic domestic product that replaces fossil CO₂ in various industrial applications including beverages and greenhouses.
“At a time of ever-shifting global trade policies, the strategic importance of domestic renewable ethanol biorefineries has never been more vital for Europe,” said ePURE director general David Carpintero.
“As these latest figures show, European biorefineries help to reduce carbon emissions, secure food systems, ensure energy independence and build agricultural and industrial autonomy.”
All of the crops used by the audited biorefineries were grown by European farmers. 86.5% of the renewable ethanol produced was for fuel use.
Of the remaining ethanol production, 6.9% was for industrial use including hand sanitiser, and 6.6% was for food and beverage use.
The audit also showed record-high GHG-saving performance of European producers’ ethanol – 79% on average compared to fossil petrol – making its use essential to transport decarbonisation by reducing emissions from the petrol and hybrid cars that will predominate on Europe’s roads for many years.
ePURE represents 41 member companies and associations with around 50 plants across the EU and UK. The statistics were compiled from ePURE members and other European renewable ethanol producers and certified by auditing firm Copartner.