If it is up to the European Commission, sugar beet pulp can no longer be used to generate renewable energy. This is evident from the requirements in the new Renewable Energy Directive (RED) 3. This European package of requirements for renewable energy must be approved at the end of this year. EU Member States must commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030.
Because 70% of all greenhouse gases in the EU come from energy generation, this is by far the most important item in terms of CO2 emissions. This is precisely where the shoe pinches for the European sugar sector because the processing of sugar beets requires a lot of energy. The sector has a solution to produce sugar in a greener way: fermenting beet pulp and using the gas or green energy in the production process. The upcoming Renewable Energy Directive 3 (RED3) does not comply with this, much to the frustration of sugar organization CEFS.
No energy available
Beet pulp is now mainly used as animal feed. In addition, the fibers are extracted separately, and some of them are already going into the fermenter. European sugar producers would like to significantly increase that amount, but if this is prohibited within RED3, that option is not available. According to them, an alternative is not available because the infrastructure for renewable energy - for example green energy or hydrogen - is usually not available near their factories. Because beet processing only takes five to six months, a lot of energy is only required in a relatively short period of time.
According to CEFS, the knife cuts both ways. Many factories do not supply wet pulp - as Cosun Beet Company and Duynie do - but first dry it and then process it into chunks. That is also an energy-intensive process. By fermenting the pulp, the energy requirement of the entire factory is reduced, according to the cooperating sugar producers. Not all pulp is needed for fermentation, says CEFS, depending on the factory about 55% to 60%.
Glimmer of hope
Members of the European Parliament already voted against CEFS's proposal in September to make an exception for beet pulp in RED3. They do support that the processing of waste and residual products should be used for energy production, such as biomethane. CEFS therefore still has a glimmer of hope that there is an opportunity for beet pulp.