Report: Ethanol plant in UK to temporarily close due to lofty wheat prices

Aerial view of Ensus' bioethanol facility

The UK's Ensus ethanol plant will reportedly close its doors, at least temporarily, due to soaring wheat prices. Ensus, a leading provider of bioethanol to Europe's transport fuels market, manufactures wheat-based ethanol. According to Agrimoney, lofty wheat prices, which reportedly hit a record £222 a ton ($360 U.S. at the current exchange rate) on the London futures market in April, are behind Ensus' decision to shut down. Agrimoney reports that:
A shutdown could enable the site to tap into newly harvested supplies being offered for lower prices. London's new-crop November lot was trading $173.50 a ton in late deals in London, a discount of nearly 15 percent to the expiring May contract.
Closure of the Ensus facility would represent another setback for the UK's wheat ethanol industry, which has already been dented by production delays and environmental concerns.

[Source: Green Car Congress]

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