EU bioethanol producers see rising output to 2020

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Europe is likely to pump out increasing amounts of bioethanol over the next 10 years, posting gradual annual output rises as an EU-imposed deadline nears for boosting renewable energy, an industry official said on Monday.

While wide discrepancies remain among the European Union’s 27 countries in terms of their bioethanol industries, overall production has jumped exponentially since the EU launched its first biofuels directive with renewables targets in 2003.

“Last year we saw a strong increase in output again, around 60 percent higher and mainly due to France and its very ambitious target,” said Rob Vierhout, secretary-general of EU bioethanol fuel association eBio, based in Brussels.

Reuters