17th December 2008

Ensus welcomes agreement on the European Renewable Energy Directive.

Ensus, the company building Europe’s largest biorefinery in the North East of England, today welcomed the European Parliament’s decision to endorse the proposed Renewable Energy Directive for Europe.

“This is very positive news” said Alwyn Hughes, Chief Executive of Ensus. “The Renewable Energy Directive, which will build on the existing position in the UK, shows the EU is leading the world in promoting sustainable biofuels. The targets for 2020 that this sets provide a stable framework for investment over the next decade. This is essential for companies like ours, who are investing in what is a vital new industry to combat climate change and improve Europe’s energy security. This stability is vital to maintain the hundreds of jobs our investment will be supporting in the North East of England.”

“Ensus is fully committed to producing good biofuel, with high levels of greenhouse gas savings. Accordingly we welcome the mandatory sustainability criteria which are at the centre of this directive. Sharpening the distinction between good and bad biofuels is the right approach and will drive the biofuels sector in the right direction for the long term.”

“From next summer Ensus will be producing both food and fuel from locally grown animal feed wheat, with our refinery on Teesside delivering almost equal quantities of bioethanol and high protein animal feed.”

“Thanks to our usage of European wheat and our energy-efficient process we will substantially exceed the sustainability criteria that have been set and make a real contribution to reducing carbon emissions. In fact the bioethanol we supply will generate carbon savings equivalent to taking over 300,000 cars off UK roads.”

“In addition, our animal feed products will have a beneficial indirect effect on land use in the third world by replacing imports of soy – which is often grown on recently deforested land.”

“Motorists who fill up their tanks with Ensus bioethanol will do so in the confidence that they are making a real contribution to reducing the world’s carbon footprint.”