Thousand jobs vanish as prestigious Danish bio-ethanol project is scrapped

1,000 future jobs gone as Maabjerg Energy Center dream evapourates

The plug has been pulled on the billion-kroner Maabjerg Energy Center near Holstebro in Jutland, draining some 1,000 future jobs from the area.

According to Jørgen Udby, the board chairman of the bio-ethanol project, financial problems are behind the untimely demise of what was supposed to become Denmark’s first bio-refinery.

“We lacked a political green light in order to obtain the final part of the financing, including loans and municipal bank guarantees,” said a disappointed Udby.

“Without the loan guarantees, the project’s financing isn’t viable, so Denmark has to wave goodbye to 293 million kroner from the EU. But worst of all, it means a farewell to 1,000 permanent jobs and the opportunity for Danish exports of green technology.”

READ MORE: Research could revolutionise biofuel business

Greener pastures
The option of financing the project via commercial channels was looked into, but those efforts turned out to be in vain.

The refinery was supposed to produce green energy, heating, biofuel and second generation bio-ethanol based on waste products from the local agriculture sector.

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