Swiss-based chemicals company Clariant said that it has completed the construction of a cellulosic ethanol plant in the southern Romanian county of Dolj.
The statement from the company said that the facility will be put into operation in the fourth quarter of the year, producing cellulosic ethanol from agricultural residues. The plant will process approximately 250,000 tons of straw to produce some 50,000 tons of cellulosic ethanol per year.
The plant was is built on a 10 hectares plot in Podari, on which construction started in 2019. Contracts with more than 300 local farmers have been signed to ensure the supply of the necessary feedstock.
Clariant CEO Conrad Keijzer said that biofuels and biochemicals produced from agricultural residues play a key role in reducing our carbon footprint. This investment and the successful commercialization of this new technology represents a major milestone for Clariant and is a further proof point for our ambitious growth strategy, led by innovations that contribute to a more sustainable world.
The investment also brings substantial economic benefits to the region and by locally sourcing feedstock, greenhouse gas emission reduction can be maximized. Also, additional business opportunities will arise along the regional value chain. Co-products produced by the process will be used to generate renewable energy, making the plant independent of fossil energy sources. Therefore, the resulting cellulosic ethanol is an almost carbon neutral second generation biofuel. Besides application as a drop-in solution for fuel blending, this offers further downstream application opportunities into bio-based chemicals and for sustainable aviation fuel.
