Business
Bioethanol plant deems lack of Government support an ‘act of economic self-harm’
The UK’s largest bioethanol plant has described a Government decision not to offer direct funding to the industry as “a flagrant act of economic self-harm” which will force it to close.
Vivergo Fuels, near Hull, warned earlier this year that it was in imminent danger of closure as crisis talks continued with the Government.
This followed the end of the 19% tariff on American bioethanol imports as part of the recent UK-US trade deal.
On Friday, the Government said: “This Government will always take decisions in the national interest.
“That’s why we negotiated a landmark deal with the US which protected hundreds of thousands of jobs in sectors like auto and aerospace.
“We have worked closely with the companies since June to understand the financial challenges they have faced over the past decade, and have taken the difficult decision not to offer direct funding as it would not provide value for the taxpayer or solve the long-term problems the industry faces.
“We recognise this is a difficult time for the workers and their families and we will work with trade unions, local partners and the companies to support them through this process.
“We also continue to work up proposals that ensure the resilience of our CO2 supply in the long-term in consultation with the sector.”
Ben Hackett, managing director of Vivergo Fuels, said: “The Government’s failure to back Vivergo has forced us to cease operations and move to closure immediately.
“This is a flagrant act of economic self-harm that will have far-reaching consequences.
“This is a massive blow to Hull and the Humber.
“We have fought from day one to support our workers and we are truly sorry that this is not the outcome any of us wanted.
“This decision by ministers will have a huge impact on our region and the thousands of livelihoods in the supply chain that rely on Vivergo, from farmers to hauliers and engineers.”
Mr Hackett said the industry has faced “unfair regulations” for years that favoured overseas producers, and the recent US-UK trade deal pushed the sector “to the point of collapse”.
He said: “We did everything we possibly could to avoid closure, but in the end it was the Government that decided the British bioethanol sector was something that could be traded away with little regard for the impact it would have on ordinary hard-working people.
“We did not go down without a fight and I hope that the noise we generated over the past three months will make the Government think twice before it decides to sign away whole industries as part of future trade negotiations.”
A spokesman for Associated British Foods, which owns Vivergo, said: “It is deeply regrettable that the Government has chosen not to support a key national asset.
“We have been left with no choice but to announce the closure of Vivergo and we have informed our people.
“We have been fighting for months to keep this plant open.
“We initiated and led talks with Government in good faith. We presented a clear plan to restore Vivergo to profitability within two years under policy levers already aligned with the Government’s own green industrial strategy.”
The spokesman said the Government had “thrown away billions in potential growth in the Humber and a sovereign capability in clean fuels that had the chance to lead the world”.
The bioethanol industry, which also includes the Ensus plant on Teesside, has argued the trade deal, coupled with regulatory constraints, has made it impossible to compete with heavily subsidised American products.
Vivergo said the Hull plant, which employs about 160 people, can produce up to 420 million litres of bioethanol from wheat sourced from thousands of UK farms.
It has described bioethanol production as “a key national strategic asset” which helps reduce emissions from petrol and is expected to be a key component in sustainable aircraft fuel in the future.
The firm recently signed a £1.25 billion memorandum of understanding with Meld Energy to anchor a “world-class” sustainable aviation fuel facility at the site.
But Meld Energy said earlier this month uncertainly over the bioethanol industry was putting this plan in jeopardy.
The Vivergo plant is also the UK’s largest single production site for animal feed, and the company says it indirectly supports about 4,000 jobs in the Humber and Lincolnshire region.
Vivergo has said it buys more than a million tonnes of British wheat each year from more than 4,000 farms, and has purchased from 12,000 individual farms over the past decade.
But it took its last wheat shipment earlier this month.
The farmers’ union described the imminent closure of the Vivergo plant as a “huge blow”.
NFU combinable crops board chairman Jamie Burrows said: “Not only is it terrible news for those hundreds of workers who will lose their jobs but also for the thousands of people whose livelihoods depend on this supply chain – that includes local farmers who have lost a vital market for their product.”
The Ensus plant in Teesside differs from the Vivergo operation because it also produces CO2 as part of the process.
Ensus, which is owned by CropEnergies, part of the German firm Sudzucker, is the UK’s only large scale manufacturer of CO2, which is used in a wide range of sectors, including in drinks and the nuclear industry.
Grant Pearson, chairman of Ensus UK, said on Friday: “I met with Sarah Jones, the minister for business, today, to receive the Government’s response to our request for financial support and the policy changes required to ensure that the Ensus facilities can continue to operate.
“The minister confirmed that they value both our contribution to the UK economy, the jobs we provide and support in the north east of England and in particular our production of biogenic CO2 which is a product of critical national importance.
“They are therefore looking at options to secure an ongoing supply of CO2 from the Ensus facility.
“This is positive news, however it is likely to take time to agree upon and finalise and therefore urgent discussions will be taking place to provide a level of assurance to the Sudzucker and CropEnergies’ boards that there is a very high level of confidence that an acceptable long-term arrangement can be reached.”
Business
Gurugram Attracts Rs 86,588 Crore In Real Estate Investments In 2025 As RERA Clears 131 Projects
Last Updated:
Alongside rising investments, Gurugram RERA strengthened regulatory oversight to safeguard homebuyer and investor interests
Gurgaon Real Estate (Representative Image)
Gurugram emerged as one of India’s top real estate investment destinations in 2025, with projects worth Rs 86,588 crore receiving regulatory approvals during the year, according to data from the Gurugram Real Estate Regulatory Authority (Gurugram RERA).
Market observers said the numbers reflect strong investor confidence in the NCR’s largest commercial and residential hub.
Gurugram RERA registered 131 projects in calendar year 2025, representing development potential of 35,455 units across housing and commercial segments.
A striking feature of the data was the dominance of large-ticket projects. Just 28 major developments accounted for investments worth Rs 59,360 crore, highlighting the growing influence of institutional capital and large developers in shaping Gurugram’s property market.
Residential assets continued to attract the bulk of investment interest. Of the total units approved, 31,455 were residential, underscoring sustained end-user demand and long-term confidence in the city’s housing fundamentals.
According to Authority data, the residential mix included 17,405 group housing units, 5,720 mixed land use units, 4,040 residential floor units, 2,122 affordable group housing units, 1,954 units under the Deen Dayal housing scheme, and 214 residential plotted colony units.
Market observers said this diversified supply pipeline indicates capital deployment across both premium and mass segments, helping reduce concentration risk and deepen market resilience.
On the commercial side, Gurugram RERA approved about 4,000 commercial units, of which 168 were dedicated to IT parks, reinforcing Gurugram’s position as a preferred hub for technology firms and Global Capability Centres.
Analysts noted that the combination of office-led employment growth and residential expansion continues to make Gurugram attractive for long-term capital deployment.
Industry experts said the scale of investments approved in 2025 highlights Gurugram’s ability to attract capital despite global uncertainty, supported by infrastructure growth, a strong corporate base and an improving regulatory environment.
“With a large pipeline of approved projects and sustained interest from developers and institutional investors, Gurugram is expected to remain a key real estate investment destination in the coming years,” a Gurugram-based real estate expert said.
Tighter regulatory checks
Alongside rising investments, Gurugram RERA strengthened regulatory oversight to enhance transparency and safeguard homebuyer and investor interests.
“These steps included stricter scrutiny of developer submissions, mandatory site inspections by domain experts, and public consultation through mandatory notices before project registration,” an Authority official said.
Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google.
January 16, 2026, 07:44 IST
Read More
Last Updated:
National Startup Day highlights India’s thriving startup ecosystem, celebrating innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation driven by founders, unicorns and Startup India mission
National Startup Day 2026 honours Indian startups, entrepreneurs and innovators driving economic growth and job creation.
National Startup Day 2026: India’s startup ecosystem has evolved into one of the world’s most vibrant and promising innovation hubs. To recognise the contribution of entrepreneurs, founders and startups transforming ideas into impactful solutions, National Startup Day is observed every year on January 16 across the country.
Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2022, the day celebrates visionary entrepreneurs who play a crucial role in economic growth, employment generation and technological advancement.
National Startup Day serves as a reminder that innovation, backed by determination and policy support, can reshape society and create global impact.
National Startup Day 2026 Theme
The official theme for National Startup Day 2026 is yet to be announced. However, the core focus areas are expected to revolve around:
- Innovation and emerging technologies
- Entrepreneurship and leadership
- Self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat)
- Startup India Mission
- Youth empowerment
- Job creation
How Startups Are Shaping India’s Future
India currently ranks as the third-largest startup ecosystem globally, with over 1.59 lakh startups recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) as of early 2025. Backed by 100+ unicorns, the ecosystem continues to grow rapidly.
Metro cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi-NCR lead this expansion, while Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are emerging as new innovation centres, adding diversity and scale to India’s entrepreneurial journey.
Startups across fintech, edtech, health-tech, e-commerce and deep-tech are addressing real-world challenges and gaining global recognition. Technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain and IoT are increasingly driving innovation, according to Startup India ecosystem reports.
Industry-Wise Startup Impact
DPIIT-recognised startups have generated over 16.6 lakh direct jobs across sectors as of October 31, 2024, strengthening India’s employment landscape.
- IT Services: 2.04 lakh jobs
- Healthcare & Life Sciences: 1.47 lakh jobs
- Commercial & Professional Services: 94,000 jobs
Through the Startup India initiative, the government continues to focus on skill development, funding access, ecosystem collaboration and global outreach.
Key Initiatives Under Startup India
- Capacity building and mentorship
- Outreach and awareness programmes
- Ecosystem development events
- International exposure and global linkages
- Collaboration between startups, corporates and institutions.
Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google.
January 16, 2026, 07:00 IST
Read More
The government on Thursday kept petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) prices unchanged at Rs253.17 per litre and Rs257.08 per litre respectively, for the coming fortnight, starting from January 16.
This decision was notified in a press release issued by the Petroleum Division.
Earlier, it was expected that the prices of all petroleum products would go down by up to Rs4.50 per litre (over 1pc each) today in view of variation in the international market.
Petrol is primarily used in private transport, small vehicles, rickshaws, and two-wheelers, and directly impacts the budgets of the middle and lower-middle classes.
Meanwhile, most of the transport sector runs on HSD. Its price is considered inflationary, as it is mostly used in heavy transport vehicles, trains, and agricultural engines such as trucks, buses, tractors, tube wells, and threshers, and particularly adds to the prices of vegetables and other eatables.
The government is currently charging about Rs100 per litre on petrol and about Rs97 per litre on diesel.
Interjeans portfolio continues to expand with heritage brand Belstaff
Ashton Kutcher says ex Demi Moore ‘killed it’
Pamela Anderson reacts to seeing Seth Rogen at Golden Globes
-
Politics1 week agoUK says provided assistance in US-led tanker seizure
-
Entertainment1 week agoDoes new US food pyramid put too much steak on your plate?
-
Entertainment1 week agoWhy did Nick Reiner’s lawyer Alan Jackson withdraw from case?
-
Business1 week agoTrump moves to ban home purchases by institutional investors
-
Sports5 days agoClock is ticking for Frank at Spurs, with dwindling evidence he deserves extra time
-
Sports1 week agoPGA of America CEO steps down after one year to take care of mother and mother-in-law
-
Business1 week agoBulls dominate as KSE-100 breaks past 186,000 mark – SUCH TV
-
Tech3 days agoNew Proposed Legislation Would Let Self-Driving Cars Operate in New York State