By using EU grown crops cultivated with the best available techniques and

by providing

of high protein, GMO-free animal feed per year, the production of renewable
ethanol in Europe provides food and fuel and preserves the environment
not only at European level, but also globally.

Footnotes
The EU protein deficit: what solution for a long-standing problem?
European Parliament (2011).

1

EU Cereals Balance 2012, European Commission, FEFAC import

statistics 2011

2

Vivergo Fuels

3

Eurostat (23 million dairy cows)

Commission staff working document SWD (2012) 343 final, page 95.

6

http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/cereals/balance-sheets/index_
en.htm

7

http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/
IW3P/IB/2013/05/21/000158349_20130521131725/Rendered/
PDF/WPS6455.pdf

8

4

UN FAO, Integrating food and energy crops can help reduce

poverty, new UN study finds, 2011: http://www.un.org/apps/
news/story.asp?NewsID=37553&Cr=farm&Cr1#.Ufor_lNJPtM

5

@ePURE_ethanol

http://ec.europa.eu/energy/energy_policy/doc/08_biofuels_
progress_report_annex_en.pdf

9

#ILUC

#EUethanol


Farming systems that combine crops
that can be used for food and fuel can
help reduce poverty and boost food and
energy security.
UN FAO, 20115

Raw material

Animal feed* production in Europe currently barely meets 30% of demand,

with the remaining 70% of protein animal feed crops being imported.1 European
renewable ethanol producers can address this situation by transforming
agricultural inputs to produce fuel and food, such as high protein animal feed.
Animal feed production in Europe
currently barely meets 30% of demand,
with the remaining

of protein animal feed crops being

imported.

Fuel and Food Security

European producers of renewable ethanol
strongly support the need to ensure that
no one in this world goes hungry. For every
tonne of ethanol produced from grain in a
European plant, another tonne of animal
feed is co-produced, providing for
much needed animal feed in Europe.
This high protein, GMO-free animal feed
co-product is of strategic importance for
EU livestock growers who face an ominous
protein deficit in the EU. In 2012, the total EU
ethanol production yielded 3.3 million tonnes
of animal feed co-product, which is about
10% of the EUs total feed imports.2 This is
enough protein to feed approximately 2.5

million dairy cows every day in Europe,3

over 10% of the current EU dairy herd.4

Smarter use of land to produce

food and fuel
In many parts of Europe, a large portion of
agricultural land remains unused. At least
1.7 million hectares of idle land are readily
available to be brought back into production
a n d a fur t he r 0.5 million he c t a re s a re
abandoned every year.6 These unused and
degraded agricultural lands in Europe make
suitable locations to grow crops for, amongst
other things, renewable ethanol production
without jeopardising food availability anywhere.

Key facts:
70% protein animal feed crops are imported in Europe
1
 tonne of ethanol produced from grain in a European plant = 1 tonne of animal
feed co-produced
E
 U ethanol production has yielded enough protein to feed over 10% of the current
EU dairy herd
Renewable ethanol production in Europe uses only 2% of the EU grain supply

thus more expensive, renewable ethanol

plants can switch to more abundant and
cheaper crops. This helps stabilise demand
across crop types and contribute to stability
in commodity markets.

Renewable Fuel Made in Europe

The production of renewable ethanol in
Europe uses crops grown in the EU, which
creates regular incomes and much needed
financial security for European farmers,
especially in the poorer regions of Europe.

This allows them to invest in the best

available farming techniques, while increasing
the amount of food that they can produce.
By using EU grown crops cultivated with the
best available techniques and by generating
3.3 million tonnes of high protein, GMOfree animal feed per year, the production of
renewable ethanol in Europe provides food
and fuel and preserves the environment not
only at European level, but also globally.

Food Price Stability

Renewable
ethanol
production
in
Europe uses only 2% net ** of the EU
grain supply, 7 which is too small to be
able to significantly alter food prices,
according to the World Bank 8 and the
European Commission. 9 It must also be
remembered that crops used for ethanol
production in Europe are not food crops.
They are agricultural crops that, for various
reasons, would not typically be used for
human consumption. At the same time,
the flexibility of ethanol production means
that as one crop becomes less abundant and

*Ethanol production generates protein rich animal feed. For ethanol production, only the sugars from the grain is used, leaving the
proteins in the remainders of the grain for the animal feed.
**3% of grains is gross figure and includes animal feed production. For actually ethanol production, only 2% of total EU grain supply is used.

Sources: UN FAO World Food Price Index, BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2013, US Energy Information Administration.