What is the etha+ project?
A production chain for bioethanol fuel in Switzerland
The etha+ project, is a concept supported by Alcosuisse (the Swiss Alcohol Board’s profit centre), to promote framework conditions in Switzerland for the sustainable development of bioethanol fuel. Alcosuisse aims to use this framework to achieve the following objectives:
- facilitate the development of local ethanol industries,
- replace all conventional petrol with different blends of petrol/ethanol by 2010,
- support bioethanol production in Switzerland, initially based on imported intermediate products, but later using Swiss lignocellulosic feedstocks, and even domestic agricultural wastes or surpluses,
- contribute to establishing ethanol production criteria that actively encourage sustainability.
Over the past few years, Alcosuisse has been focusing its activities on four «pillars»:
CONCRETELY
It has been working to establish framework conditions to facilitate the introduction of bioethanol in Switzerland: development of standards, environmental aspects, and tax relief. Feasibility of domestic production was analysed from several angles - the environment, the market, feedstock supply, etc. Alcosuisse also launched distribution channels for essEnce5 and Ethanol85, and these two biofuels are now being sold in some 150 service stations.
Alcosuisse does not want to build a production plant itself. Its goal is rather to set up the framework conditions facilitationg the production and the distribution in Switzerland.
