Bioethanol

Bioethanol can be produced from various raw materials which contain starch or sugar. Cereals, cassava, sugar beet and, above all, sugar cane are suitable for manufacturing bioethanol. While the juice of the sugary plants is fermented directly, the starch in cereals must first be disintegrated by enzymes to convert it into sugar, which is then fermented to ethanol.

In the bioethanol sector MAN Ferrostaal concentrates primarily on sugar cane and sweet sorghum. These are raw materials which have decisive competitive advantages over the starch-containing crops: high yields per hectare, a good greenhouse gas balance and a large degree of independence from the food markets make it a competitively viable alternative to gas from fossil energy sources – totally without state subsidies.

Today it is already possible to blend 5 to 10% of bioethanol into motor fuel. In important markets such as Europe, the USA and Brazil there is already a statutory obligation to blend fuels. It is to be expected that this will soon be the case in many countries around the world. The markets on which we are concentrating with bioethanol - in addition to Brazil and South East Asia -  are predominantly countries which satisfy the economic and climatic conditions for producing bioethanol. We have been utilizing our competencies successfully in these core markets for over 60 years. Our profound knowledge of the world markets enables us to react to changing market conditions and emerging sales and purchasing streams - as project manager, financial expert and general contractor.