Energy Minister, Supply, and Climate Minister visited Emmelev A/S, which produces biofuel extracted from rapeseed from Danish fields.
Biodiesel is one of the fuels of the future for heavy traffic in Denmark and will play a role in our efforts to make Denmark CO2-neutral. Energy, Supply, and Climate Minister Lars Chr. Lilleholt made this statement after visiting the company Emmelev A/S in Otterup on North Funen recently.
He notes that biodiesel can contribute to a rapid and painless transition of heavy traffic, including trucks and buses, and can be immediately used in the diesel engines we know today. In Sweden, many buses and trucks run on 100% biodiesel, and here in Denmark, seven percent biodiesel is already blended into the diesel fuel sold at gas stations nationwide. This share can be increased, as suggested by Morten Simonsen, managing director of Emmelev A/S, who welcomed the minister.
Uses GMO-Free Rapeseeds
Morten Simonsen explained that Emmelev A/S produces biodiesel based on Danish GMO-free rapeseeds. There is also other Danish production of biodiesel as well as large-scale production in countries such as Germany, Poland, and Sweden. The rapeseed is cultivated by Danish farmers and is a well-known and proven winter crop with several advantages in crop rotation and for the environment. Agriculture is working hard to reduce CO2 emissions, and Danish rapeseed production on 180,000 hectares is one of the most climate-friendly in Europe.
When biodiesel is extracted from rapeseeds, the byproduct, which makes up about two-thirds of the total amount, is used to produce protein-rich, GMO-free feed cakes for livestock, thereby replacing imported soybean meal from other parts of the world where rainforests are cleared to support agricultural production. In Denmark, the diesel consumption for public transport is about 150 million liters per year. If this fossil oil is replaced by biodiesel, the CO2 savings would be approximately 300,000 tons per year. In addition, particulate emissions from diesel exhaust in large Danish cities would decrease significantly if buses and trucks run on biodiesel.
Further information:
Morten Simonsen: 6482 2540
