a focused and innovative specialty chemical company
which is a leader in the fuels and energy markets and the largest player in Central and Eastern Europe
today signed a license agreement on sunliquid cellulosic ethanol technology
The announcement represents a significant strategic milestone for Clariant as this second license agreement for its sunliquid technology is another successful step to commercialize its highly innovative and sustainable technology
the agreement supports the intention to realize a full scale commercial plant for the production of cellulosic ethanol from agricultural residues
which will further solidify the company’s position as a forerunner in the Polish biofuels and bio-component technologies
“We are excited by the continued interest in our sunliquid cellulosic ethanol technology and proud to have signed this second license agreement
It shows that our long-term strategic commitment to innovation and sustainability can deliver additional growth above and beyond Clariant's current strong portfolio”
we consistently develop and strengthen the Group companies
We invest in modern technologies and focus on high-margin products
as they will be crucial to maintaining our leading position in the region in the coming years
we do not forget about corporate social responsibility and we apply solutions that significantly mitigate our environmental impact,” said Daniel Obajtek
President of the PKN ORLEN Management Board
The license agreement enables ORLEN Południe to use Clariant’s sunliquid technology for the project development and plant operation it is planning to execute at its Jedlicze site in southeastern Poland
utilizing available land and the integration potential with the existing Jedlicze petroleum refinery
It is planned that the annual production capacity will be 25.000 tons
sunliquid® IS A TRADEMARK OF CLARIANT REGISTERED IN MANY COUNTRIES
COLORADO — Estelle Nadel was only 7-years-old when her sister
and father were sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland and killed in the gas chambers there
She and her brother were later jailed and escaped
They hid with other family for years in an attic over a stable
Now, she is 87 and living in Colorado. She sat down with News 5 Anchor Dianne Derby to share her remarkable story of survival
Estelle Nadel was born in the small village of Borek
Estelle describes her village as mixed with both Jewish and non-Jewish people living in the area
She describes her home as "very primitive." Her family had a farm with a lot of land
She said her mother would plant vegetables and try to sell them at the market on Mondays
she said he mother was well known in the village because she was a great cook
and she used her skills for christenings and weddings for other families in the village
and she describes him as a very religious man who would pray to God three times a day
"He always told us that nothing will happen to us
Her older sister worked at the refinery with her father
and her oldest brother worked at the nearby airport
She remembers that things began to change for the Jews in 1939 when the Germans invaded Poland
She said her father would assure the family that things would get better and that it was just the economy
but she says as time went on things began to get worse
She says she remembers hearing rumors that a lot of Jewish men were being taken away
and that her father would have meetings at her home to talk about what to do
some of her cousins left Poland and went to Russia
the Gestapo sacked Estelle's home looking for weapons
Estelle says her sister ran home from work one day and told the rest of the family
Estelle says her mother begged her daughter to join them
but Estelle's older sister assured them that she would be safe because she knew a lot of the Germans
Estelle and her family gathered some of her cousins and they all went into the fields for the day
Estelle says the Germans surrounded the refinery
because there were too many Jews working there
Estelle's sister would run to their father in the right line
and older brother were taken by train to Auschwitz and were put into the gas chambers
Estelle says she learned of their fate just five years ago and had always thought that they had been shot that day
were taken to a ghetto to keep working at the refinery
Estelle said they had learned it was not safe to go home
so they went to the house of a friend who was able to hide them for a night
She said her mother would seek out another friend
Estelle says her mother would go out three times a week during the night to get food from people she could trust in the village
a 19-year-old Polish man recognized her mother
Estelle and her three brothers were told by a family friend that there was a German soldier who would come in the morning when Jews were discovered during the night
and that their mother was shot that morning
Estelle and her two brothers would stay in the attic by day and look at the peepholes to entertain themselves
and at night they would go downstairs to breathe the fresh air
one of Estelle's brothers decided he wanted to leave the attic and get work in a neighboring village where no one knew who he was
Estelle said because he was "fair" he believed he could pass as a non-Jew
From that moment on it was just Estelle and her one brother
Estelle and her brother stayed at the old woman's house for several weeks
She said it started when the old woman confronted the neighbors about their children stealing from her garden
I'm gonna report you to the Gestapo that you're hiding Jews
When she came back and told us that we knew we needed to leave," said Estelle
Estelle and her brother decided they would go away for two weeks and would eventually return to the old woman's house when suspicions died down
the Germans broke down the door and captured Estelle and her brother
Estelle says they beat her brother in the courtyard of the village and took them to Jedlicze jail
they were interrogated and were asked if they knew about other Jews
Estelle says she remembers crying so much that the man in charge of the jail tried to console her
Estelle and her brother were thrown into the basement cell
and Estelle and her brother had to cuddle at night to keep warm
Estelle says after a while her brother became restless and asked her to help get the wooden bed by a window
Estelle says her brother told her the window was at the same level as the sidewalk and that he was going to try to squeeze through the bars
Before he tried again he gave Estelle instructions
He told Estelle that she would have to squeeze through the bars after a guard turns the corner and that she would then have to cross the street
Estelle described herself as "hysterical" as her brother was pushing for them to escape
She says at the time "she was ready to die."
Estelle says when she saw the guard turn the corner she was able to squeeze through the bars easily because she was smaller
When she reached the other side of the fence
Estelle told the woman that she was Jewish and that she had just escaped from the jail across the street
Estelle asked the woman if she could hide her
but the woman revealed herself to be the wife of the jailer and couldn't hide her
The woman took Estelle inside her home where she was having drinks with another couple
While the adults were discussing what to do with her
Estelle asked the woman to take her to the public showers in Borek
since Estelle says she knew how to get to where her aunt and uncle were hiding from there
The woman eventually agreed to take Estelle through the fields to the public showers
Estelle says she waited for a bit before going to her aunt and uncle because she didn't want someone to follow her and know where the rest of her family was hiding
"I was so very lucky that the lady didn't take me back to the jail
The rest of Estelle's family were hiding in an attic over a stable
her aunt and uncle were angry with her because they were worried someone might have followed her
Estelle says her brother came to the stables that morning and they were reunited
and her cousins would stay in that attic for over two years
Estelle said she could not stand in the attic because the floor was very weak
Estelle said when they were eventually rescued their legs were so atrophied they had to be carried out
only her brother could walk since he would leave at night to get food
the Russians rescued Estelle and her family
Estelle said she could hear the Russian artillery moving in
but that the rescue didn't happen overnight and it took several weeks for the Russians to reach her village
She said that the Russians were good to them
She said they realized they weren't safe anymore since there were still people trying to find Jews
Estelle and her family got false papers and decided to go to Hungary
but was hesitant about leaving and even thought about converting to Catholicism
Estelle says her brother eventually decided to join them as they went to Hungary
She says one night while they were staying in Hungary
her Uncle and her cousins left them because they had a relative in Australia who would take them
Estelle says things began to deteriorate in Hungary on the Russian side
so she and her brothers paid a guard to smuggle them to the American side in Austria
Estelle and her brothers eventually ended up at a displaced persons camp
She and her brothers had originally planned to go to Israel
but one night a female American soldier came up to Estelle after she had sang in a performance at the camp
How would you like to go to America?" said Estelle
Estelle said she did not exactly know what "America" was since she had no education and was going to Hebrew school in the displaced persons camp
When she told her brothers about the soldier
they decided to change plans and go to America
The process to get to America was a long one
Estelle said back then you had to be in perfect health and that she had to get x-rays and vaccinations
She said there was a list posted every week on who could go to America
she said one day her brother checked and their names were on it
She was told that there was a spot on her lungs in her x-rays
Estelle and her brothers decided that the younger of the two brothers would go to America
and her other brother would stay behind with Estelle
It was later discovered that someone had mixed up the x-rays
and Estelle was eventually cleared to go to America
Estelle and her brother then ran into another hurdle
on their way to America their ship broke down on the English Channel
Estelle and her brother finally reached America on April 1
When Estelle arrived in America she was met by her younger brother who had gone ahead
"He already had a job in New Jersey and was all dressed up
he looked already like an American," she said
Estelle and her other brother were put up in a hotel in Manhattan while her brother searched for a job
Estelle's brothers had decided that she "would be better off" in a foster home
but my brothers would not take me in," she said
Estelle said her older brother had been the "rock" during the difficult time and she believes when they got to America he had reached a breaking point
She said she was eventually able to forgive her brother
but she was never able to fully tell him before he died
She says her brother eventually got a job at a factory in New Jersey
and Estelle stayed in the hotel by herself
Estelle said the hotel manager gave her money to go to the movies every day
"I didn't know how to speak English at all
And I would watch the movie from Wednesday
I didn't understand at first what was happening
I began to understand and able to speak English."
Estelle was placed in a foster home in the Bronx and started 6th grade that Fall
She said it was very difficult at first because while she knew how to speak English she couldn't read or write in it
Estelle's brothers later informed her that there was a couple in Long Island that wanted to adopt an older child after they lost their son in the war when his plane was shot down
and in 1951 the family decided to move to California
where Estelle would spend the majority of her life
Estelle later met her husband there and married him when she was seventeen
Her husband told News 5 that he knew the moment he saw Estelle that she would be his wife
The couple has three children and five grandchildren
Estelle would go on to start a jewelry business
Estelle said she couldn't speak about her experience for years
and she wouldn't tell her children the full story until they were adults
She became more open to talking about it when her daughter-in-law
Over the years Estelle and her brothers have kept in contact with the relatives of the families who hid them during the war
where she would learn about the fate of her father
and brother after seeing their names on a scroll
Estelle and her brothers were also able to confront the man who turned in their mother
Estelle says the confrontation was "not satisfying" because she says the man had no remorse and told them that the Germans would have killed him if he hadn't turned in their mother
Estelle's brother would also come face-to-face with the prison guard of the jail they were kept in
He would find out that the guard had purposefully put Estelle and her brother in that cell hoping that they would escape since they were small enough to fit through the bars
Estelle says not a day goes by where she doesn't think about her experience
you always have to look at the something good will happen
For more information on the Holocaust and survivors:
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We care about the Polish industry and strengthening the country’s fuel security
We have allocated over PLN 88 million in funding from the Strategic Investment Programme for the construction of a transport route from the Jedlicze refinery to the Jasło-Krosno national road
The Prime Minister visited the Jedlicze refinery
where a new bioethanol production plant will be built
The investment will strengthen Poland’s position in the European market of new-generation biofuels and create new jobs
have signed an agreement concerning the construction of the complex and the financing of the investment
This will be the second plant of this type in Europe (the first is in Romania) and the first in Poland
Orlen plans to invest more than PLN 1 billion in a new plant for the production of bioethanol – ethyl alcohol
It is produced from biomass and is an additive to petrol
sewage systems and new water intakes to go hand in hand with the jobs being saved,” said the Prime Minister during the visit
The Prime Minister stressed that unemployment was very high before 2015
He recalled that the Jedlicze refinery was to be closed down at that time
layoffs were to affect more than 200 people
where more than 200 people were to go on strike
such a refinery also provides work for local companies
cooperators and residents,” pointed out the Prime Minister
this investment perfectly demonstrates the change in policy after 2015
Orlen’s investments go hand in hand with those of the government
several hundred jobs have been saved here at the Jedlicze refinery
The Krosno District has received more than PLN 88 million in funding from the Government’s Strategic Investment Programme to build a new road
The road will connect the DK28 in Potok with the Orlen Południe refinery and then with the district road in Jedlicze
The activities will also include the construction of a road viaduct over railway line No
108 Stróże-Jasło with all the necessary technical infrastructure
This will translate into a direct connection between the Jedlicze plant and the S19
through which there is access to the plant
We agreed that an investment in a special link of several kilometres to national road No
‘Credibility’ is our middle name,” concluded Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki
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We provide energy and fuel for more than 100 million Europeans
We are driven by passion and always explore new opportunities for growth
Our advanced products are available in over 90 countries on 6 continents
We are Central Europe’s leader in energy transition
maintaining our commitment to sustainable development and seeking to reduce our impact on climate change
The investor relations are intended to build corporate credibility on the capital market
ORLEN Group intends to buy and use cereal straw from Polish farmers to produce second-generation bioethanol
an environmentally friendly petrol additive made from non-food products
currently under construction at the Jedlicze plant
will have a capacity to produce 25,000 tonnes of bioethanol per year
This will be sufficient to fuel almost 13 million passenger cars with petrol containing the bioethanol
the production complex will be the first of its kind in Poland and the second in Europe
The ORLEN Group has earmarked PLN 1.12 billion for the investment in this modern bio-product
and production is expected to commence in 2025
‘We have built a strong company that can invest in modern technologies and solutions
significantly strengthening the competitiveness of the Polish economy
we have the ambition to become a leader in the development of modern biofuels in Central Europe
We will achieve this goal by consistently strengthening ORLEN Group's production assets in southern Poland
including an investment in an installation to produce an environmentally friendly petrol additive
We will source the raw material from Polish farmers
providing new jobs and additional impetus for the region's development,’ says Daniel Obajtek
CEO and President of the PKN ORLEN Management Board
The environmentally friendly investment is being carried out at the Jedlicze plant of ORLEN Południe
The use of a modern bio-product in transport
will contribute to the company's fulfilment of the National Indicative Target
It will also be another important step towards the ORLEN Group achieving emission neutrality by 2050
as biofuels are produced from renewable sources
which will be worth approximately PLN 1.12 billion
has received nearly PLN 68 million in co-financing from the National Fund for Environmental Protection
The construction of the complex will enhance ORLEN Południe's position as a market leader in domestic biofuels and as a prominent employer in the region
creating around 50 new jobs at the refinery
including opportunities for advanced biotechnology specialists
The investment in bioethanol production is a testament to the ORLEN Group's commitment to developing its competencies
The ongoing development projects have placed ORLEN Południe in a stable financial position
with revenues in 2022 reaching approximately PLN 5 billion and a net profit of PLN 173 million
ORLEN Południe's investment will deepen collaboration with farmers
unlocking the vast potential of Polish agriculture
distinguishes itself from first-generation biofuels
The installation's launch will generate an annual demand for approximately 150 thousand tonnes of bioethanol
equivalent to the harvest from 30 thousand hectares of fields
an area similar to Szczecin or the three Śniardwy lakes
Bioethanol is an ethanol derived from biomass
serving as an additive to petrol and facilitating its use in transportation
ORLEN Południe is constructing a primary installation for bioethanol production
is being constructed by the Polish company Zarmen
is being undertaken by the Finnish company
The 48 MW biomass boiler will generate electricity and heat
The company will source approximately 90 thousand tonnes of lignin annually
All of the energy generated will be used to support the internal operations of the Jedlicze plant
and assembly works are underway for the various facilities within the complex
The water treatment plant building has been completed
and advanced work is underway on the CHP plant
with the installation of the boiler already in progress for several days
The next stage will involve the assembly of the steam turbine with the generator
The subsequent phase of the investment will involve the construction of a state-of-the-art biogas plant
another by-product of bioethanol production
to generate renewable energy that will power the new facility
the project includes upgrading the internal road and rail infrastructure of the plant and constructing the necessary ancillary infrastructure
ORLEN Południe is being consistently transformed into a modern biorefinery where production is based on renewable energy sources
Europe's largest installation for the production of ecological glycol was launched at the Trzebinia plant
The company is also investing in a biogas programme
with a network of biomethane plants being built across the country
ORLEN Południe has also invested in a pilot plant for the production of lactic acid
the company has committed to developing hydrogen technology
hydrogen fuel for refuelling buses is being supplied from the Trzebinia plant
almost 2.5 tonnes of hydrogen fuel have been supplied to the Krakow MPK
ORLEN Południe is undergoing transformation into a cutting-edge biorefinery that prioritizes the use of renewable energy sources
the Trzebinia plant launched Europe's largest ecological glycol unit
ORLEN Południe is actively investing in a biogas programme
building a network of biomethane plants across the country
The company has also established a pilot plant for lactic acid production and pledged to advance hydrogen technology
hydrogen fuel from the Trzebinia plant began to be supplied for refuelling buses
with almost 2.5 tonnes of hydrogen fuel already supplied to the municipal transport company in Kraków
has signed a contract for the construction of a state-of-the-art oilseed processing plant in Kętrzyn (Province of Olsztyn)
The plant is set to process 500 thousand tonnes of rapeseed annually
yielding a production output of 200 thousand tonnes of oil for the purpose of manufacturing low-carbon biofuels
This investment will not only generate employment opportunities but will also be a stable source of demand for Polish farmers cultivating the rapeseed crop
‘We have an ambitious strategy to advance our biofuel production capabilities
a commitment that underscores the ORLEN Group’s aspiration to emerge as a dominant force in the regional biofuel sector
we are actively investing in our refineries in Trzebinia
The most recent project will involve the establishment of our own rapeseed oil pressing plant in Kętrzyn
With an annual processing capacity of 500 thousand tonnes of rapeseed
this facility is expected to utilise a substantial portion
the ORLEN Group is dedicated to creating a conducive environment for sustained collaboration with Polish farmers
guaranteeing them a reliable outlet for the cultivated products
Also aligned with this commitment is our ongoing initiative involving the construction of a second-generation bioethanol plant in Jedlicze
set to consume 150 thousand tonnes of locally sourced straw from agricultural producers per year,’ says Daniel Obajtek
ORLEN’s CEO and President of the Management Board
The pressing plant project in Kętrzyn will entail an estimated total cost of approximately PLN 850m
Its location has been influenced by the region’s remarkable agricultural potential and abundant availability of the raw material
Construction of the facility is to commence in the first half of 2024
with completion expected by mid-2026.In addition to the pressing plant itself
the complex will encompass various processing nodes
including facilities for raw material reception and product dispatch
The contractor responsible for the project will be a consortium of Polimex Mostostal S.A
The plant is to produce an annual output of 200 thousand tonnes of oil
with ORLEN Południe having full control over the quality of the end product
the processing plant will use about 500 thousand tonnes of rapeseed sourced primarily from Polish agricultural producers
Poland’s rapeseed crop yielded a total of 3.6 million tonnes
The ORLEN Południe investment also heralds new prospects for the town and the wider region
The pressing plant alone will generate more than 100 new solid job opportunities
and its operation will stimulate demand for supplementary services that can be provided by local business
Oil produced in Kętrzyn will meet the specifications required for use in the ORLEN Group’s production facilities
The principal consumer will be ORLEN Południe
which operates a biodiesel plant in Trzebinia
Establishment of the Kętrzyn oil pressing plant underscores the ORLEN Group’s commitment to strengthening its collaboration with Polish farmers
a second-generation bioethanol plant is being constructed at the Jedlicze refinery
a pioneering development in Poland and the second of its kind in Europe
This facility is to produce 25 thousand tonnes of bioethanol annually
sourced from Polish farmers in the quantity of 150 thousand tonnes per year
Bio-components added to gasoline and diesel fuel play a role in diminishing our reliance on petroleum
thereby bolstering energy independence and augmenting the diversification of raw material sources for fuel production
This also holds significant environmental benefits
as bio-additives are either derived from renewable agricultural resources or facilitate the efficient management of waste
The ORLEN2030 strategy envisages that by the end of the decade the use of bio-additives in the ORLEN Group will reach about 3 million tons per year
the Group is prepared to invest over PLN 15bn
This expansion in biofuel production will be complemented by the production of biogas and biogas-derivative biomethane
which can serve as vital feedstock for biofuel manufacturing but also present themselves as standalone fuels capable of substituting natural gas
the ORLEN Group aims to possess the capacity to produce 1 bcm of biogas annually
with total investments in excess of PLN 10bn
ORLEN Południe stands as a leading producer of biofuels and bio-additives
the company has consistently pursued a transformational journey to become a modern biorefinery
2021 saw the launch of Poland’s first and Europe’s largest green glycol unit at the company’s refinery in Trzebinia
ORLEN Południe has invested in a pilot plant dedicated to the production of lactic acid using microorganisms
the company has been actively engaged in advancing the hydrogen technology
Poland’s first hydrogen hub was launched at the Trzebinia plant
supplying hydrogen fuel for Kraków’s public transport buses
ORLEN intends to increase biofuel production x10 to 3 million tonnes in 2030
thus substantially increasing our production capacity
using among the others the franchise model
ORLEN aims to strengthen its regional leadership in alternative fuels by implementing a number of significant investments in the production of biofuels
will allow ORLEN to increase the biofuels production to about 1 million tons per year
thus reducing the carbon footprint of our fuels
Several projects are also being carried out under the ORLEN Południe’s strategy until 2025 aimed at transforming the Trzebinia refinery into a biorefinery. Read more on ORLEN Południe’s website