Clariant’s new ethanol plant in Romania officially opened

Clariant has officially opened its new cellulosic ethanol plant in the southern Romania.
The flagship plant in Podari will process 250,000 tonnes of straw to produce 50,000 tonnes of cellulosic ethanol annually, contributing to lowering greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector.
After completing the construction and starting commissioning in October 2021, Bilfinger Tebodin supported Clariant on its largest project in Romania.
Since November 2017, when the EPCM agreement was signed, Bilfinger Tebodin was engaged in engineering, project and construction management of Clariant’s flagship biofuels plant in Podari, Romania.
A total of €40 million of the total investment came from EU funds. Contracts with more than 300 local farmers have been signed to ensure the supply of the necessary feedstock.
"For Clariant, this was the first investment in Romania. In this context, the establishment of a completely new organizational structure, the search for a suitable site and the complex approval process were the greatest challenges. Bilfinger's project experience in Romania was crucial for a successful implementation," added Bernd Hirschberg, project director at Clariant’s business line biofuels & derivatives, speaking earlier this year.