Convert sugar factories for biofuels

WITH rising energy prices and fuel supply uncertainties, Natural Resources Minister Noel Dempsey is to be complimented on his scheme to promote production of 163 million litres of biofuel from indigenous sources.

The sugar factories in Mallow and Carlow have the potential to economically produce ethanol from beet, amounting to 10% of the current national petrol consumption.

The EU sugar reform provides for 75% compensation when sugar quotas are reduced and the factories converted to ethanol production in line with the EU strategy on biofuels. Effectively, that would provide ethanol facilities (the sugar factories) at a huge discount, which is a unique economic opportunity to serve the national interest best.