DGAP-News: CropEnergies and Tyczka Energie to build a CO2 liquefaction plant in Zeitz

CropEnergies AG / Joint Venture

26.05.2009 

Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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CropEnergies and Tyczka Energie to build a CO2 liquefaction plant in Zeitz

Mannheim/Geretsried, 26 May 2009 - CropEnergies AG, Mannheim, and Tyczka
Energie GmbH, Geretsried, are planning to build a plant for the
liquefaction of food quality CO2 (carbon dioxide) in Zeitz, Saxony-Anhalt,
Germany. The plant will have an annual production capacity of 100,000
tonnes of carbon dioxide and is scheduled to commence operation in 2010.

The construction and operation of the liquefaction plant will be undertaken
by the newly formed joint venture CT Biocarbonic GmbH, Zeitz, in which each
partner holds a 50 percent stake. The transaction was concluded subject to
the approval of the relevant competition authorities.
 
The plant for the liquefaction, purification and recovery of carbon dioxide
is located in the immediate proximity of the CropEnergies bioethanol
facility in Zeitz (Burgenlandkreis county - southern Saxony-Anhalt) and
will benefit from the existing infrastructure. The raw material used will
be biogenic CO2 from CropEnergies' bioethanol production process which
forms during the fermentation of grain and sugar syrups into bioethanol.
According to Lutz Guderjahn, member of the executive board of CropEnergies:
'The construction of the CO2 liquefaction plant will enable CropEnergies to
increase the profitability of the Zeitz site thanks to the extension of the
value chain whilst, at the same time, also improving the greenhouse gas
balance of the bioethanol facility as a consequence of reprocessing the
CO2.'

The produced carbon dioxide will be marketed exclusively by Tyczka
Kohlensäure GmbH & Co KG, Geretsried. Frank Götzelmann, member of the
management board of Tyczka Energie: 'By making this investment in Zeitz,
the Tyczka Group is not only securing a sustainable and long-term source of
carbon dioxide at an attractive location but, at the same time, is also
laying the foundation for further expansion of its market position in
central Europe.'

The particular chemical properties of the carbon dioxide produced in Zeitz
open up a wide range of applications in a very wide range of industries. In
addition to its use in drinks, carbon dioxide is also used, for example, as
a refrigerant or freezing agent for foods and as a protective gas in the
packaging industry.  In Europe, the annual demand for liquid carbon dioxide
is currently around 3 million tonnes and the industry is growing at a
multi-year average rate of approximately 3 percent per annum.


Information about the companies 

The CropEnergies Group - a member of the Südzucker Group - is a leading
European producer of sustainably manufactured bioethanol for the fuel
sector. Within just a few years, CropEnergies has succeeded in establishing
itself as one of the leading bioethanol producers within a growing market
and operates subsidiaries in Germany, Belgium and France. The shares of
CropEnergies AG (ISIN DE000A0LAUP1) are listed on the Frankfurt Stock
Exchange in official trade (Prime Standard).

Tyczka Energie GmbH is the leading company within the medium-sized Tyczka
group of companies headquartered in Geretsried, Germany. The core areas of
business are energy supply (propane and butane), industrial gases and
carbon dioxide as well as services. Tyczka Kohlensäure GmbH & Co. KG is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Tyczka Energie GmbH and joined the Group after
acquisition in 2004.


Contact:
Dr. Marten Keil
Head of Business Development & Communication
Phone: +49 (621) 71 41 90-60
Fax: +49 (621) 71 41 90-04
presse@cropenergies.de

Astrid Gövert
Head of Corporate Communication 
Phone: +49 (8171) 627-194
Fax: +49 (8171) 627-66194
astrid.goevert@tytogaz.de


DGAP 26.05.2009 
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Language:     English
Issuer:       CropEnergies AG
              Gottlieb-Daimler-Str. 12
              68165 Mannheim
              Deutschland
Phone:        +49 (0)621-71 41 90 00
Fax:          +49 (0)621-71 41 90 04
E-mail:       info@cropenergies.de
Internet:     www.cropenergies.de
ISIN:         DE000A0LAUP1
WKN:          A0LAUP
Listed:       Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
              in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, München, Stuttgart
 
End of News                                     DGAP News-Service
 
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