DGAP-News: KTG Agrar AG stepping on the gas
(firmenpresse) - DGAP-News: KTG Agrar AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous
KTG Agrar AG stepping on the gas
23.05.2011 / 07:45
---------------------------------------------------------------------
KTG Agrar AG stepping on the gas
- Intercrop growing and integrated heat concepts mean that KTG Biogas is
fit for the future
- New biogas plants for 7 MW under construction, start of construction for
4 MW imminent
- Company targeting 30 megawatts of total capacity
Hamburg, 23 May 2011 - KTG Agrar AG (ISIN: DE000A0DN1J4) continues to push
ahead the expansion of its biogas production capacity. The company's six
biogas locations currently comprise plants with a total electrical capacity
of some 16 megawatts, which is enough to cover the energy needs of
approximately 27,000 households. More than 33,000 hectares of farmed land
make KTG Agrar one of Europe's leading agricultural producers. Apart from
growing organic and conventional produce such as wheat, maize and rapeseed,
the production of environmentally friendly biogas energy is the third
pillar of the company's business. Dr. Thomas Berger, the KTG board member
overseeing the energy operations, says: 'We will continue to push ahead the
expansion of our biogas production in order to make the fullest possible
use of the advantages arising from the combination of farming and renewable
energy production. Moreover, we will increasingly use intercrops as
feedstock for our plants.' Due tue of the intercrop cultivation, KTG uses
approximately 90 percent of the farmland for food production and wants to
increase this percentage further.
At this time the company has new biogas plants with a capacity of seven
megawatts under construction. These plants will be connected to the
national grid this year and supply environmentally friendly electricity for
the energy mix of the future. The construction of additional plants with a
combined capacity of four megawatts is to start already in autumn of this
year. This will bring total production capacity to between 25 and 30
megawatts at year-end. In addition, approval procedures are already under
way for another six megawatts of capacity.
'Our integrated approach means that our farmland yields high-quality
agricultural produce and clean energy at the same time,' says Dr. Thomas
Berger. KTG's biogas plants are located in the direct vicinity of its
farms, allowing for fast and efficient feedstock supplies. KTG has
increasingly replaced maize with grass and hay cuttings as well as
intercrops. The latter, in particular, make ideal feedstock for biogas
plants. Once the grain has been harvested in summer, millet and clover
grass are sown and harvested in November. Grass cuttings and intercrops
account for approximately half of KTG's biogas feedstock already today. The
company is working with several universities on further improvements of its
biological processes and uses efficient heat management concepts at its
locations. Apart from being used for space heating of farm buildings and
grain drying, process heat is supplied to nearby residences and companies
which much appreciate this form of low-cost and carbon neutral heating. KTG
customers in Dersewitz (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern), for example, pay only five
cent per kilowatt hour, which is 30 percent below the cost of equivalent
gas or oil heating. Moreover, customers benefit from a 10-year price lock.
KTG Agrar looks to the future with optimism and will continue to invest in
farmland and biogas plants. The capacity expansion will boost biogas
revenues and earnings in 2011.
The company is equally confident about the current agricultural season.
'Thanks to our geographic spread across eastern Germany and Lithuania, we
are satisfied with the vegetation cycle. The rain we have had in recent
days came just at the right time. In addition, the year 2010 has shown that
lower harvests are overcompensated for by higher prices,' says KTG Agar CEO
Siegfried Hofreiter. The global outlook is not pointing to record harvests
in 2011. Copious rainfalls in the United States and dry conditions with
reduced sowing in eastern Europe all suggest low harvests. As a result, the
prices of agricultural commodities have risen clearly in recent days.
About KTG Agrar:
With cultivable land of more than 33,000 hectares, KTG Agrar AG is one of
the leading producers of agricultural commodities in Europe. The
Hamburg-based company's core area of expertise is the organic and
traditional cultivation of market products such as cereals, maize and
rapeseed. For organic market products KTG Agrar is the European market
leader. The company mainly produces in Germany but has also operated
production in the EU full member state of Lithuania since 2005. The third
mainstay is the production of bio-energy. At present, KTG Agrar operates
biogas plants with a total capacity of around 16 megawatts. In the year
2010, KTG achieved a total output of EUR 70.8 million and EBIT of EUR 13.4
million. Since November 2007 the company is listed on the Frankfurt Stock
Exchange and has currently about 250 employees. Further information can be
found at www.ktg.ag.
Contact:
Investor Relations / Press
Fabian Lorenz
IR.on AG
Tel: +49 221 914097 - 6
E-Mail: fabian.lorenz(at)ir-on.com
End of Corporate News
---------------------------------------------------------------------
23.05.2011 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a
company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements,
Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.
Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Language: English
Company: KTG Agrar AG
Ferdinandstr. 12
20095 Hamburg
Deutschland
Phone: +49 (0)40-303 76-47
Fax: +49 (0)40-303 76-799
E-mail: info(at)ktg-agrar.de
Internet: www.ktg-agrar.de
ISIN: DE000A0DN1J4
WKN: A0DN1J
Listed: Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, München, Stuttgart;
Open Market (Entry Standard) in Frankfurt
End of News DGAP News-Service
---------------------------------------------------------------------
125718 23.05.2011
Datum: 23.05.2011 - 07:45 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 34167
Anzahl Zeichen: 0
contact information:
Kategorie:
Business News
Diese Pressemitteilung wurde bisher 250 mal aufgerufen.
Die Pressemitteilung mit dem Titel:
"DGAP-News: KTG Agrar AG stepping on the gas"
steht unter der journalistisch-redaktionellen Verantwortung von
KTG Agrar AG (Nachricht senden)
Beachten Sie bitte die weiteren Informationen zum Haftungsauschluß (gemäß TMG - TeleMedianGesetz) und dem Datenschutz (gemäß der DSGVO).
