AB Bioenergy France will be submitting a plan to the French Government requesting approval to set up a maize-based ethanol production plant with a capacity of 180 000 tonnes, in Pardies (64 - south-western France).  This will be the first maize-based ethanol plant in Europe.  It is scheduled for commissioning in 2007 and annual consumption will be for more than 400 000 tonnes of maize to be supplied by collectors/transporters in the Aquitaine and Midi-Pyrenees regions.

 The company, AB Bioenergy France, was set up on March 2, 2005, and has the following stakeholders:  Abengoa Bioenergy, Dyneff, Aquitaine Industrie Innovations, Euralis, Etablissements Lacadée, Lur Berri, Maïsadour, Vivadour and AGPM.  Abengoa Bioenergy has a 51% controlling interest in the subsidiary in France and will manage the company.
Abengoa Bioenergy is the European leader in bioethanol production;  Dyneff is the leading independent distributor of petroleum products in France;  Aquitaine Industrie Innovations is a venture capital company and consultancy firm for renewable energy and technological innovation;  AGPM is the general association of maize growers;  Euralis, Etablissements Lacadée, Maïsadour, Vivadour and Lur Berri are the main companies that collect and transport maize in the region.
Javier Salgado, Chairman and Managing Director of Abengoa Bioenergy, has pointed out that the project will be backed by sound expertise within the Group, plus its knowledge and experience;  it is thus able to adapt and satisfy the requirements of the French authorities, and achieve the required level of trust and credibility:  “As part of the strategic approach of Abengoa Bioenergy on the French market, we have the best partners plus the combination of expertise and specialisation of the different stakeholders to ensuring the success of the venture.”  The project will require more than 100 million euros in CAPEX;  it will create more than 100 new jobs through direct employment and a further 600 positions will arise indirectly. 
AB Bioenergy France stakeholders bring extraordinary capabilities to the company and boost the success of the project:  the Group has the technology and operational expertise of Abengoa Bioenergy, plus Dyneff capacity in the distribution of petroleum products;  it has a guaranteed supply of raw materials from producers and collectors/transporters, as well as the knowledge and backing of Aquitaine Industrie Innovations.
Abengoa Bioenergy is the leading European producer of bioethanol for biofuel and currently has two production facilities in Spain (Ecocarburantes Espanoles and Bioethanol Galicia) with a capacity of 150 million and 170 million litres per annum respectively.  A third unit is being built in Salamanca (Biocarburantes de Castilla y Leon) and will have a production capacity of 200 million litres per annum, including 5 million from processing grain biomass with new technology being developed by Abengoa Bioenergy R & D.
Abengoa Bioenergy is number two in the world in bioethanol production and number one in Europe.  Abengoa Bioenergy is number 5 in the United States with a capacity of 365 million litres.  This American biofuel is made from maize, and the company clearly has the expertise and technology needed to convert maize into bioethanol.
The Abengoa Bioenergy parent company, named “Abengoa”, is an industrial and technological company listed on the Madrid Stock Exchange with a market value of more than 657 million euros (31/12/2004).  The company offers solutions for sustainable development, information systems and infrastructure.
It works in four different sectors:  (1) bioenergy where it is the world’s bioethanol producer, (2) services for the environment where for certain areas of waste management, the company is European leader, (3) information technology where it is one of the main players on an international scale with operations in Europe, America and Asia, and (4) engineering and industrial construction where it is leader in Spain and South America.
   
 
 
Contact presse :
Béatrice GUENEBEAUD
Tél : 01 47 23 48 32 – 06 84 51 00 96
Claude LACADEE
Tél : 05 59 12 67 00 –06 80 31 62 27