DONG Energy has applied for a government grant to build a demonstration plant for 2nd generation bioethanol production in Kalundborg.

The plant is to be commissioned before the Climate Summit in Copenhagen - November 2009 - where it will demonstrate a sustainable use of agricultural residues for production of bioethanol, feed and solid biofuel.

The plant will be build next to a power plant - Asnæsværket in Kalundborg - and will handle 4 tons of straw pr. hour (30.000 tons pr. year). the production will be 4.500 tons of bioethanol, 13.500 tons of feed and 10.500 tons of solid biofuel. The latter can replace coal at the power plant for production of power and heat.

The technology is also applicable for other types of biomass, and this makes it possible to increase the ethanol production from existing plants i a.o. the US and Brazil without implecations to the global food supply.

"The 2nd generation bioethanol production, we are establishing in Kalundborg will provide opportunities for export of Danish technology. I am looking forward to the cooperation with our 3 partners, and I think this partnership will be very benificial for us, but also for the very strong R&D communities, we have in Denmark within the bioethanol area," says Anders Eldrup, CEO of DONG Energy.