Germany-based CropEnergies produced 422,000 cu m of ethanol in the first half of its financial year (March 1-August 31, 2015), down 11.7% from 478,000 cu m in the year-ago period, it said Thursday.
The reduced output was mostly due to the continued closure of the company's Ensus plant in Wilton, UK.
Production at the UK's second largest ethanol plant has been paused since February 2015.
Alongside the decrease in ethanol production, CropEnergies also produced less animal feed which is a by-product of ethanol.
In its statement, CropEnergies said the decision by the EU to increase blending quotas for ethanol in Europe should lead to the introduction of E10 in additional member states.
The European Union agreed in April to increase the cap on first-generation biofuels in the contribution to the 2020 renewable transport energy target to 7% from 6% as previously set by the European Parliament in 2014.
