Press release
Butagaz becomes the first gas distributor in France to market butane and propane containing
bio-isobutene, in an exclusive partnership
with Global Bioenergies
First batches of bio-isobutene to be incorporated in 2017
Commercial partnership covering France
Contribution to meeting France's greenhouse gas emission targets
Levallois-Perret and Evry, 16 January 2017 - Butagaz, a leading French brand distributing gas in bottles and tanks, continues its innovation drive to contribute to meeting France's greenhouse gas emissions reduction target. The partnership with Global Bioenergies aims at incorporating batches of bio-isobutene produced at Global Bioenergies' demo plant as early as 2017 and then by the first commercial bio-isobutene plant once built in France.
Butane and propane are extracted from natural gas or produced from oil refining. They are distributed in either bottles or tanks and are among the cleanest forms of fossil fuel. Butagaz's goal is to further reduce the carbon footprint of these value chains.
Historically, isobutene is a hydrocarbon derived from oil with physico-chemical characteristics very close to those of butane and propane. Global Bioenergies is developing a process to convert by-products of the sugar industry into isobutene - then known as "bio-isobutene" because of its plant-based origin. Bio-isobutene is suitable for use in the butane and propane streams.
Butagaz and Global Bioenergies today announce the signing of an exclusive partnership for France to incorporate bio-isobutene into butane and propane. Butagaz will contribute financially to Global Bioenergies' industrial development, in return for reserved batches of isobutene: starting in 2017, Global Bioenergies' demo plant will produce several batches for delivery to Butagaz. In the longer term, Butagaz has the potential to purchase thousands of tonnes of bio-isobutene when the first commercial plant comes on stream. Part of this "made-in-France" bio-isobutene could then be incorporated into Butagaz's bottles or tanks of butane and propane.
From 2017, Global Bioenergies and Butagaz will conduct a joint technical and economic study to examine the large-scale incorporation of renewable components for the butane and propane sectors.
A few weeks after the firm bid to acquire Gaz Européen, the natural gas supplier for business clients, the Butagaz Group continues to innovate in its strategy of diversifying its energy business to offer the best possible service to its customers. "At Butagaz, we are doubly proud of this partnership. First, it demonstrates that a long-established brand in energy comfort in France knows how to innovate and to invest in cutting-edge technologies to reduce CO2 emissions throughout the gas life cycle, from production through to sale. Second, we are delighted that Butagaz is the first gas supplier in France wishing to offer butane and propane containing bio-isobutene to millions of households throughout the country, including in the 27,000 french localities not connected to the natural gas network. This step is part of our long-term vision to play an effective and efficient role in energy transition", said Emmanuel Trivin, Chairman of Butagaz.
"We are continuing to diversify the potential applications of bio-isobutene. We are also progressing in building up the commercial eco-system of IBN-One, the future first full-scale plant. Our partnership with Butagaz, a leading energy supplier, will enable us to have an impact on the daily lives of many French people, helping them to reduce their carbon footprint even further", said Marc Delcourt, CEO of Global Bioenergies.
About Butagaz
Butagaz is an energy supplier whose aim is to ensure the daily comfort of its customers. A subsidiary of the Irish DCC Group, it is one of the leading distributors in the French propane (https://www.butagaz.fr/tout-sur-gaz/butane-et-propane) and butane (https://www.butagaz.fr/tout-sur-gaz/butane-et-propane) markets. It offers economical, sustainable and versatile solutions thereby gaining the trust of its customers and innovates to diversify its activities in the energy business. In 2016, more than 95% of its customers said they were satisfied with the solutions and services supplied by Butagaz for their comfort[1] (#_ftn1).
Attesting to its awareness of societal changes, Butagaz also introduced a start-up accelerator programme, Zagatub (http://www.zagatub.fr), to support business initiatives in the area of home comfort and facilitate young entrepreneurs to take their innovations to the next level.
Follow us on Twitter: @BUTAGAZ
About DCC plc
DCC plc is an international sales, marketing, distribution and business support services group headquartered in Dublin with operations in Britain, Continental Europe and Ireland. DCC has four divisions - DCC Energy, DCC Healthcare, DCC Technology and DCC Environmental. In its prior financial year, DCC generated revenue of £10.6 billion and operating profit of £300 million. It employs approximately 10,500 people in 15 countries. DCC's shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange and are included in the FTSE All-Share Index and the FTSE 100 Index.
About GLOBAL BIOENERGIES
Global Bioenergies is one of the few companies worldwide, and the only one in Europe, that is developing a process to convert renewable resources into hydrocarbons through fermentation. The Company initially focused its efforts on the production of isobutene, one of the most important petrochemical building blocks that can be converted into fuels, plastics, organic glass and elastomers. Global Bioenergies continues to improve the performance of its process, operates an industrial pilot, has started operations at its demo plant in Germany, and is preparing its first full-scale plant through a joint venture with Cristal Union, named IBN-One. The company also replicated its achievement to propylene and butadiene, two members of the gaseous olefins family, key molecules at the heart of petrochemical industry. Global Bioenergies is listed on Alternext, Euronext Paris (FR0011052257 - ALGBE). Should you like to be kept informed, subscribe to our news feed on www.global-bioenergies.com (http://www.global-bioenergies.com). Follow us on Twitter: @GlobalBioenergi
Contacts
BUTAGAZ
Timothée Lenoir
+33 (0)6 46 67 62 93
timothee.lenoir@elanedelman.com (mailto:timothee.lenoir@elanedelman.com)
GLOBAL BIOENERGIES
Bernard CHAUD
Director of Industrial Strategy
+33 (0)1 64 98 20 65
bernard.chaud@global-bioenergies.com (mailto:bernard.chaud@global-bioenergies.com)
[1] (#_ftnref1) Source: June 2016 survey of 32,000 gas tank customers by La Voix du Client
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: GLOBAL BIOENERGIES via Globenewswire
