The Danish Minister of Climate and Energy, Connie Hedegaard, gave her full support for Inbicon’s bioethanol project when she formally opened the construction work on Friday 5 September in Kalundborg, Denmark.

”A second generation project like this is not based on foodstuffs, so it does not take the bread out of the mouths’ of the world population. On the opposite, it is a positive contribution to the fight against the climate threat,” the Danish minister said to the 150 invited guests from the rostrum which on this occasion was made of bales of straw.

With the bioethanol plant Inbicon expects to demonstrate that it is possible to convert residual biomass - waste - into ethanol, in order to supply the transport sector with biofuels, and also show how biofuel and electricity production can supplement each other. The technology will thus facilitate an increased involvement of the transport sector in the solution regarding reducing CO2 emissions and at the same time demonstrate how to improve energy efficiency in general.

After the speeches, the construction was officially opened when Connie Hedegaard and Anders Eldrup, CEO of DONG Energy, put their handprints and signatures in a wet concrete tile, which is going to be placed at the entrance to the plant.

Niels Henriksen, CEO of Inbicon, informs the Danish Minister of Climate and Energy, Connie Hedegaard of the construction of the bioethanol plant. To the left, Danish MEP Britta Thomsen.

The construction of the bioethanol plant has already been commenced in order for the plant to be completed as scheduled for the UN Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen in November/December 2009.

Connie Hedegaard was also interviewed by the press – here a Chinese TV crew.