"Hungary's Hungrana, Europe's largest maize processor, has more than tripled its bioethanol capacity in an EUR 100 million investment in Szabadegyháza, central Hungary, business daily Világgazdaság has reported on Tuesday.Attila Lengyel, managing director of Hungrana, said the enlarged capacity, planned to reach 150,000 tonnes a year, would already be enough for Hungary to meet the European Union's target for a 10% bioethanol content in vehicle fuel by 2020.
The major investment is by far not the end of the projects at Hungrana, as the company has already started preparations for the full utilisation of by-products and wastewater in biogas production. According to preliminary calculations, the biogas plant would be able to supply 25-30% of the company's energy needs.
Hungrana started marketing its GreenPower E85 renewable fuel, which contains 14% petrol, 2% denaturants and 84% bioethanol made from corn, less than a year ago, opening the door for FFVs (Flexi Fuel Vehicles) in Hungary.
Currently, a total of 15 filling stations sell E85 and the company is in talks with other fuel retailers to make E85 available elsewhere. Hungrana plans to make this fuel available at 100-150 petrol stations within a year, the paper added.
Hungrana is a joint venture (50-50%) of Austria's Agrana International and US-UK Eaststarch (Tate & Lyle and ADM)."
Source: Portfolio Online Financial Journal
14.05.2008