Clariant to Build Flagship Cellulosic Ethanol Plant in Romania: 8-Figure Sales Potential Envisioned

November 01, 2017

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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Germany, Clariant’s board has approved investment in a new full-scale commercial plant for the production of cellulosic ethanol from agricultural residues using its sunliquid technology. The new plant, with an annual production capacity of 50.000 tons, will be built in the southwestern part of Romania. The facility will be a flagship site, confirming competitiveness and sustainability of the sunliquid technology at commercial scale thus supporting Clariant’s sunliquid licensing business strategy.

Next steps are detailed engineering studies before the ground breaking and start of construction, which is planned for 2018. The plant is anticipated to deliver its first batch of product in 2020. Peak sales from the sunliquid cellulosic ethanol plant are expected to be in the mid double-digit million range.

The project receives funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Program for research, technological development and demonstration under Grant Agreement no. 322386 and from the Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 709606.

At full capacity, the new plant will process approximately 250.000 tons of wheat straw and other cereal straw annually, which will be sourced from local farmers. Co-products from the process will be used for the generation of renewable energy with the goal of making the plant independent from fossil energy sources. Therefore, the resulting cellulosic ethanol is an almost carbon neutral advanced biofuel.

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Multi-Slide Guides to Clariant’s sunliquid technology

An integrated approach to cellulosic fuels: The Digest’s 2015 8-Slide Guide to Clariant’s sunliquid process

Cellulosic Ethanol, are all processes equal?: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to Clariant

Hi-performance tech package: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Clariant’s sunliquid process

Clariant to build flagship sunliquid® cellulosic ethanol plant in Romania (GlobeNewswire)

Clariant to build sunliquid cellulosic ethanol plant in Romania (Ethanol Producer Magazine)

Cellulosic ethanol plant to be built in Romania (Biofuels International)