
Clariant bioethanol plant
Company Clariant, is building a bioethanol plant in Craiova in the Southwest of Romania. Astron building is part of this huge complex dedicated to the production of cellulosic ethanol from agricultural residues (straw) by applying the sunliquid® technology.
Clariant Executive Committee Member Christian Kohlpaintner stated “After more than a decade of research and development, Clariant is investing more than EUR 100 million in its first sunliquid® plant. This technology is pioneering not only in Europe but also globally. Furthermore, in cooperation with European and national institutions, Clariant supports the industrial conversion of a region with this significant investment.”
At full capacity, the plant will process around 250 000 tons of wheat and other cereal straw sourced from local farmers to 50 000 tons of cellulosic ethanol annually. By-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. The resulting cellulosic ethanol is therefore an advanced biofuel that is practically carbon-neutral.
The project receives funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Program for research, technological development and demonstration and from the Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program.