SUSTAINABILITY converted to biogas . Because of this , the process is almost entirely carbonneutral and , as Keijzer put it , “ a prime example of a sustainable solution ”. Producing bioethanol via Sunliquid can reduce CO 2 emissions by up to 95 % compared with fossil fuels , Clariant states , or up to 120 % if carbon sequestration is factored in . Looking at Podari alone , its annual production of 50,000 tonnes can save 120,000 tonnes / year of emissions , according to Librera . Bioethanol can contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of aviation fuels , which will be critical to the IATA ’ s commitment to reduce aircraft emissions by 300 million tonnes to make it carbon-neutral . “ Sunliquid can , and will be , part of the solution ,” said Keijzer .
Fuels & chemicals
Clariant is actively working on this with partners in the aviation sector . The shipping sector is also increasingly looking at low- and zerocarbon fuel as an alternative to diesel propulsion and bioethanol could be an important part of the sector ’ s drive to reduce its ‘ carbon intensity ’ by at least 40 % by 2030 . Cellulosic sugars , Keijzer added , also have the potential to serve as building blocks for future generations of biobased chemicals . Some of these may be used as an alternative to palm oil , which is itself also renewable but competes with food production . Applications are envisaged in detergents , cosmetic products , lubricants , paints and coatings , and as feedstocks for ethylene and polyethylene production . The Sunliquid technology itself was first developed in 2006 and was implemented in 2012 at a demonstration plant at Straubing , Bavaria , which converts 4,500 tonnes / year of residues into 1,000 tonnes / year of bioethanol . The next step was to find a suitable site for a commercial plant . Podari , Librera said , was chosen in part of the abundant availability of straw in a 50-100 km radius . Good access to utilities and infrastructure , plus support from local authorities , were also crucial . The Podari plant is mainly there to demonstrate the technical and commercial viability of the technology as Clariant will focus on licensing its technology out . Five licences have been sold since then . In Bulgaria , Slovakia and Poland , Eta Bio , Enviral and Orlen will respectively convert wheat straw into 50,000 , 50,000 and 25,000 tonnes / year of bioethanol . China ’ s Sino Dan Jianye and Anhui Guozhen will produce 25,000 and 50,000 tonnes / year from a mixture of wheat straw and corn stover . “ Our business is not to produce bioethanol ,” Keijzer said . “ Our business is to enable our customers to build bioethanol plants such as the one in Podari .” By licensing ‣
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