Clariant Produces Commercial Cellulosic Ethanol

Clariant Produces First Commercial Cellulosic Ethanol Clariant has produced its first commercial sunliquid® cellulosic ethanol at its new plant in Podari, Romania. Clariant, a focused, sustainable and innovative specialty chemistry company, announced that it has produced its first commercial cellulosic ethanol at its sunliquid® production facility in Podari, Romania. All offtake has been contracted under a multi-year agreement with Shell, a leading global energy company. Over the past six months, the facility has undergone a comprehensive commissioning process that resulted in the successful startup of production. Approximately 50,000 tonnes of second-generation biofuel will be derived from 250,000 tonnes of locally sourced agricultural residues. The cellulosic ethanol produced at this facility can be applied as a drop-in solution for fuel blending, but also offers further application opportunities for sustainable aviation fuel and bio-based chemicals. Clariant CEO Conrad Keijzer said, "Protecting the climate is a central part of our 'More Chemistry Between People and Planet' target. Biofuels and biochemicals derived from agricultural waste play a crucial role because they reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To make their use more widespread, commercial production and availability must be rapidly increased, which is why the successful startup of our sunliquid® facility in Podari is vital." Building a more sustainable future is at the heart of what drives Clariant to develop innovative solutions. Christian Librera, Head of the Biofuels and Derivatives Business Unit, added: "The advanced biofuel produced by the sunliquid® technology process provides CO2 savings of up to 120% compared to fossil fuel, supporting the decarbonization of the transport sector. Despite the global pandemic, it is particularly encouraging to see that we have successfully started production on time at our flagship sunliquid® cellulosic ethanol plant. This demonstrates that Clariant's technology is commercially deployable and accelerates our licensing business strategy. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all colleagues and partners involved." Shell aims to be a significant and profitable supplier of sustainable, advanced low-carbon fuels as part of its broader efforts toward becoming a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050. Geoff Mansfield, General Manager Low-Carbon Fuels, Shell Trading and Supply, said, "Low-carbon fuels are crucial to helping our customers decarbonize their operations." The plant in Podari, Romania is built on 10 hectares of land and employs approximately 100 people. Contracts have been signed with more than 300 local farmers to ensure the supply of required raw materials. ¹The project receives funding from: the Seventh Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration of the European Union, No. 322386 (SUNLIQUID), and the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, No. 709606 (LIGNOFLAG). Source