Future of biogas unclear in the EU
By Oliver Ristau, Deutsche Welle.
Etienne Genin is satisfied. "We use the more renewable energy than all other company locations," said the director of the L’Oreal plant in Libramont, Belgium. The global cosmetic company produces hair coloring here for all of Europe. A half-million packages roll off the conveyor belt every day, requiring 10 million kilowatt hours of electricity – the equivalent of a city with 10,000 people.
The factory’s power is supported by three gas motors just a few hundred meters from a half-dozen fermenters where organic material is collected to rot. L’Oreal has been using biogas here for the last few years. It’s important that "only those products are used that aren’t also used in food production," Genin said. He fears that could negatively impact the French cosmetic giant’s image.