29 Mgy sugar beet ethanol plant commences operation in Colombia

In Colombia, a new sugar beet ethanol plant has commenced production 90 miles north of the capital, Bogota. The plant will produce 29 Mgy of ethanol. Colombia has a 10 percent ethanol mandate in place, and expects to build 27 ethanol plants by 2020 in a $1.3 billion investment program.

Sugar beets are an efficient source of ethanol fuel. The net energy gain from sugar beets is 33% (vs. 9% for wheat), and sugar beets produce 2.5 times as much ethanol per hectare as wheat grains (2860 gallons per acre vs 1150).
Last month, Swiss agricultural concern Syngenta said it has successfully introduced sugar beet into India, and project was announced yesterday for sugar beet ethanol in the UK.

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