EU commits €5 towards Dutch ethanol pipeline

In Belgium, the European Commission has authorized a €5 million investment aid for a pipeline infrastructure to transport waste CO2 from Albengoa’s Rotterdam ethanol plant to greenhouses in the “Zuidplaspolder”.

The waste CO2 will be used to enhance crop growth, thereby reducing the current use of CO2 in flue gases obtained through the burning of natural gas in boilers and cogeneration installations. The greenhouses currently produce their own CO2 using cogeneration systems or gas fired boilers.

The Commission states that it expects the pipeline will save around 25 million m³ of natural gas wastefully burned every year, thus avoiding annual CO2 emissions of 45000 tons.Moreover, the aid is necessary since the project is unlikely to be undertaken without the aid, given the investment and exploitation risks involved. The aid is not expected to give rise to an undue distortion of competition or adverse effect on trade between Member States in light of the local nature of the relevant markets. Furthermore, third party access will be granted to the infrastructure in question on fair and non-discriminatory terms.

source: europa