Partnership to build new cellulosic ethanol plant in Slovak Republic

Biochemtex and Beta Renewables signed a contract with Energochemica for the construction of a second generation ethanol plant in the Slovak Republic.

The plant, which will be built in Strazske, Slovak Republic, will deliver 55,000 metric tonnes per year of cellulosic ethanol while using non-food biomass as its feedstock.

The project begins immediately and the start-up of the plant is expected in the first half of 2017.

The plant will apply Beta's Proesa technology. Biochemtex will provide basic engineering, key equipment and technical field services.

'The Strazske plant will be the third in the world based on Proesa technology, following Crescentino, Italy, and Alagoas, Brazil,' says Guido Ghisolfi, CEO and President of Beta Renewables and Biochemtex.

The plant will use enzymes from Novozymes and yeast from Leaf Technologies.