- Eta Bio will build a commercial plant in General Toshevo, Bulgaria.
- The plant will produce 50,000 tons of cellulosic ethanol annually from 250,000 tons of wheat straw.
- The project includes a license for sunliquid® technology and technical services from Clariant.
- The ethanol will be used to meet Bulgaria's blending mandate under the Renewable Energy Directive II.
License Agreement
Clariant and Eta Bio have signed a license agreement for the sunliquid® cellulosic ethanol technology. Eta Bio, a company established by the Pavlovi family, aims to construct, own, and operate a full-scale commercial plant in Bulgaria.
Project Details
The plant will be located in General Toshevo, in the Northeastern region of Bulgaria, utilizing land owned by the Pavlovi family. It will have an annual production capacity of 50,000 tons of cellulosic ethanol, processing approximately 250,000 tons of wheat straw, a plentiful resource in the region.
Technological and Environmental Impact
The project will use Clariant’s sunliquid® technology, which includes a basic engineering package, technical services, and starter cultures from Clariant’s proprietary enzyme and yeast platform. This technology will help convert agricultural residues into cellulosic ethanol, addressing the challenge of straw removal from fields and providing an additional revenue stream for agricultural producers.
Strategic Importance
The produced cellulosic ethanol will be used as a gasoline additive to meet Bulgaria’s blending mandate for advanced biofuels, as specified in the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) II. This investment in green, sustainable technologies is a significant step for Bulgaria, promoting renewable energy and enhancing the agricultural sector's sustainability.
