Commercial flagship plant for bioethanol production involving a bio-based value chain built on lignocellulosic feedstock

Project Information

LIGNOFLAG

Grant agreement ID: 709606

DOI

10.3030/709606

Project closed

EC signature date 13 May 2016

Start date 1 June 2017

End date 31 May 2023

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy

Total cost

€ 34 936 215,00

EU contribution

€ 24 738 840,00

Coordinated by

CLARIANT PRODUKTE (DEUTSCHLAND) GMBH
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 4 - LIGNOFLAG (Commercial flagship plant for bioethanol production involving a bio-based value chain built on lignocellulosic feedstock)

Reporting period: 2021-09-01 to 2023-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The LIGNOFLAG consortium aims to confirm the technical, ecological and economic benefits of the large-scale production of cellulosic ethanol from agricultural residues in Europe, by using an innovative technology for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to cellulosic ethanol. This, in turn, will drive progress towards a low-carbon economy, reduce Europe’s dependence on energy imports and create new opportunities for growth and green jobs. The LIGNOFLAG project reflects the vision of a competitive, innovative and sustainable Europe leading the transition from a fossil-based economy to a bio-based, circular economy, while decoupling economic growth from resource depletion and environmental impact.

The project consortium, led by Clariant as the coordinator and with support through LIGNOFLAG funding, built and operates a commercial size production plant in Podari, Romania, for the production of cellulosic ethanol. The project has focused on and created an entire new value chain, from successfully bringing the straw from the field to the flagship plant to produce cellulosic ethanol and bring it to the market. Besides the product cellulosic ethanol, the co-product lignin is used on-site in a CHP plant to supply power and steam to the flagship plant. The project has developed a very valuable application of the other co-product vinasse to be used as a fertiliser on the fields, thus closing the nutrient loop and introducing a circular-economy approach. In this regard, significant value and green job creation in an underdeveloped Romanian rural area has been achieved, while most parts of the value chain are kept in the region.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Work Package 1 (WP1):
– Successful evaluation, technical assessment and acquisition of the production site in Podari
– Finished Basic and Detail Engineering
– Finished site preparation and procurement
– Groundbreaking ceremony held
– Building permit received
– Construction completion
– Excellent safety record of more than 2 million working hours without a Lost Time Accident
– Completion of commissioning and operational start

Work Package 2 (WP2):
– Completion of hiring and training of operational staff
– Continuation of collaboration with university of Craiova
– Ongoing ramp-up towards continuous operation at design capacity

Work Package 3 (WP3):
– Established distribution system of cellulosic ethanol by contracting off-taker
– Official announcement of first delivery of cellulosic ethanol to Shell
– Implementation of a quality control system for cellulosic ethanol

Work Package 4 (WP4):
– Established valorisation of the co-product lignin by contracting the company GETEC to build, own, operate and maintain a sustainable energy generation plant
– Operational CHP plant provides steam and energy from lignin to the flagship plant
– Assessment of European biochar market using lignin as raw material
– Field trials in Germany proofed the fertilizer effect of the co-product vinasse and the good environmental sustainability
– Successful development and test of a tailor-made large-scale drag hose system to apply vinasse to the field and plants
– Successful field trials in Romania in different locations
– Ongoing certification and registration process for vinasse as fertilizer with preliminary approval
– Successful application tests and large-scale application of vinasse as co-substrate in biogas plant and as bio-combustible e.g. in the cement industry for significant CO2 reduction
– Registration of vinasse as biomass

Work Package 5 (WP5):
– Preliminary calculation of GHG savings according to RED II and preliminary full LCA according to ISO 14040/4t
– Assessment of trends in the European mobility and fuel sector
– Assessment of current findings concerning feedstock sustainability and land use
– Development of a set of qualitative indicators for socio-economic assessment
– Progress in qualitative indicator assessment based on literature and statistics
– Evaluation of opportunities and threats based on qualitative indicator assessment
– Analysis of socio-economic effects and policy instruments
– Publication of Environmental & socioeconomic analysis of emerging biobased technologies: A quantitative & qualitative case study

Work Package 6 (WP6):
– Ongoing communication and dissemination activities
– Set-up and maintenance of a project website including a newsletter subscription service
– Set-up and maintenance of project-related Twitter account: @sunliquidPlant
– Creation and update of project flyers and roll-ups
– Organization of local PR activities and events in the vicinity of the flagship plant in Romania
– Opening Ceremony of flagship plant & family day

Work Package 7 (WP7):
– The ethanol flagship plant is presented to future potential technology users
– Clariant has successfully sold 5 technology licenses to date

Work Package 8 (WP8):
– General administrative, contractual, and financial management
– Organization of project meetings and General Assemblies

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The LIGNOFLAG project will have the following socio-economic as well as environmental impacts:
• Realisation of a cellulosic ethanol market in Europe through construction and operation of a flagship cellulosic ethanol plant and thus …
• Realizing the objectives of Horizon 2020 and other EU policies, by accelerating the implementation and deployment of cellulosic ethanol production plants
• Sustainable production of cellulosic ethanol which leads to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2) of up to 95 % compared to fossil-based alternatives
• Reduced energy consumption and thus minimum input of fossil-based energy by an integrated energy production using the co-product lignin
• Biofuels enhances sustainable urbanization, as particle count emissions are improved through advanced biofuels compared to fossil fuels
• Usage of agricultural residues leads to an improved use of existing arable land
• Support of the transformation from a fossil-based economy to a bio-based, circular economy
• Reduce dependence on fossil oil/resources/imports by using agricultural residues for the production of cellulosic ethanol, a liquid energy carrier that substitutes fossil gasoline
• Creation of a sustainable and competitive source of domestic renewable energy for the EU
• Reindustrialization of an abandoned industrial sites in Podari
• Mobilization of local resources by usage of so far underutilized agricultural residues like wheat straw
• Primary producers like farmers can sell their straw and therefore diversify and increase their income
• Creation of green jobs in rural areas in the agricultural, logistic, energy, biotechnology and chemical sectors as well as for the construction of the cellulosic ethanol production plant
• Training and education of local workforce to enable them to operate the production plant
• Awareness and understanding of the bio-based economy in the society by dissemination and communication activities within the project
• Scientific boost and knowledge creation through implementation of a new and sustainable process for the production of cellulosic ethanol using innovative biochemistry and biotechnology
• Increased cooperation across regions and countries through a project consortium consisting of beneficiaries from Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Romania
• Increased competitiveness of European companies by production and promotion of cellulosic ethanol for biofuel application from renewable sources in the EU

LINGOFLAG Flagship plant boosting local economy in rural area of Podari, Romania