Kazakhstan’s BioOperations plant in Tayinsha will start exporting bioethanol to Belgium, having reached an agreement with a buyer after a year of negotiations, according to the Kazakh Agriculture Network and reported by International Business News. Two ships, carrying over 5,000 tonnes of bioethanol fuel will depart for Belgium via Baltic ports.
Bioethanol consumption is growing worldwide, as it is renewable and environmentally friendly compared to traditional fuels. European regulations require for fuels to be blended with 15-20% bioethanol to increase their octane and improve their quality parameters, reducing at the same time the dependency on refined products.
As the largest CO2 emitter in Central Asia, Kazakhstan is taking measures to reduce its carbon footprint and the production of bioethanol is part of its transition to a greener economy, as its usage can reduce CO2 emissions by 30-40%. The Tayinsha BioOperations plant aims to produce 36,000 tonnes of bioethanol annually.
Evgeny Kelin, the head of BioOperations, says the quality of their products is highly evaluated after the first tests, passing the iSCC environmental sustainability and greenhouse gas emission certification, as well as following European regulations on production methods and raw material control to Requirements of the Directive on the Protection of the Environment.
Kelin also says the processing technology they use at the plant does not pollute the atmosphere as the handling of CO2 is done in an environmentally friendly manner. The captured CO2 can then be used for other purposes, like added to carbonated drinks, greenhouse work, firefighting and construction work.
The Tayinsha BioOperations plant has been closed for 8 years and has only recently resumed production after being modernized by e new investor. It has since become the largest company in North Kazakhstan, as well as a front runner in local grain production. The plant now has 700 employees and, besides bioethanol, it also exports gluten and starch to India, USA, Colombia, Norway, CIS and EU countries.
