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Teesside-based bioethanol manufacturer Ensus has welcomed the government’s update to the Temporary Tariff Regime in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

The announcement by HM Treasury and the Department for International Trade followed discussions with industry and consumer groups and made three specific amendments to the tariffs, initially published in March, one of which affects the bioethanol industry.

The bioethanol amendment adjusts tariff rates on imported bioethanol to retain support for indigenous UK producers, of which Ensus is the largest, as well as recognising that the supply of this greener form of road fuel is important to critical national infrastructure.

Grant Pearson, commercial director of Ensus UK, said:

“This is a balanced and sensible arrangement that will help to protect the industry from the impact of cheap imports, sustaining our supply chain in the process.

“I’d like to pay particular tribute to our local MPs – and Redcar MP Anna Turley in particular – for tremendous support in helping to ensure that the government fully understood the devastating impact on jobs and the economy of the Tees Valley that unfettered imports could have had.”

Redcar MP Anna Turley also welcome the news, adding:

“I’m pleased the government have finally acknowledged how important tariff protection is to the biofuels industry and the thousands of jobs it sustains in the North of England.

“Ensus have been tireless in making the case to government for some time now, with the support of MPs. The cost of failing to act would have been devastating so this is absolutely the right decision.

“If this decision was now combined with a renewed commitment to E10 green fuels, which I urge the government to make, then the industry would be well on its way to becoming a Great British success story.”

Ensus continues to support other industry players in urging the Government to speed up the introduction of the E10 blend of bioethanol into petrol – a move which would be the immediate equivalent in carbon reduction terms of taking 700,000 vehicles off British roads each year.

Ensus, headquartered in Yarm, operates one of the largest production plants in Europe at the nearby Wilton International site, near Redcar.

The company, owned by CropEnergies, employs around 100 people directly, but supports a supply chain of around 3,000 people including many in the farming, haulage, energy and product storage sectors.

The plant makes around 400 million litres of bioethanol (alcohol) a year and also makes around 350,000 tonnes of dried high protein animal feed – making it the UK’s largest supplier to the UK farming industry.

The plant is also capable of making up to 250,000 tonnes a year of carbon dioxide for use in the drinks and food production industries.

Credit: Tees Business