Please Register or Sign in to view this content Quantum Commodity Intelligence is a premium paid subscription service for professionals in the oil Quantum Biofuels service subscribers have access to: Get in touch with us for subscription information on all Quantum platforms Corden BioChem announced that it will invest “several tens of millions of euros” in the relaunch of the bioethanol plant in Podari The plant was closed in December 2023 by its former owner Corden BioChem plans to use the existing infrastructure for bioethanol production The estimated initial production capacity is several tens of thousands of tons per year it will strengthen a team of local specialists the existing infrastructure allows the use and expansion of technological capabilities for the introduction of other fermentation products the development of high-value fermentation products with applications in industries such as food Additional investments related to the diversification of production are estimated at several tens of millions of euros with the potential to generate over 100 specialized jobs After taking over the factory and relaunching production Corden BioChem proposes a long-term vision for the biotechnology industry in Romania “This investment means more than relaunching a factory – it is about the team about performance and about the development of a region that will become a key point in the green transition It is the beginning of a new stage that will put Dolj on the European map of energy and biotechnology Together we will create a successful example of innovation stable jobs and the valorisation of local resources The resumption of bioethanol production is the first step in a firm commitment to sustainability and the community.” – stated Dr You must be logged in to post a comment. ACS’s Basic Package keeps you connected with C&EN and ACS. $80 Regular Members & Society Affiliates ACS’s Standard Package lets you stay up to date with C&EN, stay active in ACS, and save. ACS’s Premium Package gives you full access to C&EN and everything the ACS Community has to offer. This article has been sent to the following recipient: Sign up for C&EN's must-read weekly newsletter Copyright © 2025 American Chemical Society. All Rights Reserved. The plant in Podari, Romania, is built on a 10-hectare area and employs a workforce numbering approximately 100. Contracts have been signed with more than 300 local farmers to ensure the supply of the necessary feedstock.  Learn more about our sunliquid® technology here.  ¹The project receives funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Program for research, technological development and demonstration under Grant Agreement no. 322386 (SUNLIQUID) and from the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement no. 709606 (LIGNOFLAG). sunliquid® IS A TRADEMARK OF CLARIANT REGISTERED IN MANY COUNTRIES. Do you have a positive or negative outlook for the biofuels industry in 2025 View Results We use cookies to improve your experience on our site. Learn more. a cancer diagnosis can be the stuff of nightmares So doctors in Russia have started using a doll to demonstrate treatments The doll which is equipped with pictures of organs and cells can show where catheters go and how chemotherapy drugs enter the body Hospitals around the United States commonly use the dolls, and now a program funded by Podari Life in the United States will introduce them to the Dmitry Rogachev National Research Center of Pediatric Hematology Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis on how to integrate the doll into her work with young patients Podari Life bought her a doll to train other specialists and is poised to buy more doll kits if the program expands helps buy medicine for young cancer patients in Russia and register bone marrow donors Theater performers visit the cancer patients at the Dmitry Rogachev center in Moscow In addition to paying for the doll and Stefanenko’s certification training in the U.S. Podari Life has raised about $50,000 per year to help pay for hospital equipment and for Russian doctors to attend medical conferences such as the International Society of Pediatric Oncology in Washington in October and the American Society of Hematology in Atlanta in December Donations also cover the costs for American and Canadian doctors to attend conferences in Russia to present new cancer treatments Dr. Yoav Messinger, a pediatric hematologist-oncologist and the medical director of cancer and blood disorders at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota participated in the 8th Meeting of the National Society of Pediatric Hematologists and Oncologists in Moscow in May Messinger and his team research the genetic disorder DICER1 which increases the risk of developing tumors in the lungs mostly among infants and young children and there are quite a few kids in Russia who have it,” he said “I gave them an update on the most advanced knowledge of this disorder” and how to treat and manage it Bringing doctors together to share their expertise enables children to receive treatment within Russia either at the central Moscow location or other cancer wards “None of us wants these kids to fly over the whole world just to get help” when they can undergo surgery bone marrow transplants or receive other anti-cancer therapies closer to home “And they’re able to do it in a background of a very limited resources health services.” Because DICER1 syndrome is a rare disorder the more patients involved in clinical protocols the better to see which treatments work and the Russian doctors were all eager to collaborate on research the political rhetoric surrounding U.S.-Russia relations rarely – if ever – enters the conversations of doctors who are more interested in learning new procedures and finding ways to help each other Shergova herself observed that even among Russians living in the United States “you cannot find a politically neutral person … they either hate (Russian President Vladimir) Putin or love Putin.” But no matter where they stand politically they find a common purpose in the mission to help children View more profiles of social entrepreneurs in our Agents for Change series © 1996 - 2025 NewsHour Productions LLC PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization Subscribe to Here's the Deal with Lisa Desjardins sustainable and innovative specialty chemical company today announced the official completion of its sunliquid® cellulosic ethanol plant in Podari The completed construction is an important next step for the commercial deployment of sunliquid® technology and thus supports Clariant’s sunliquid® licensing business strategy The facility will be operational in the fourth quarter producing cellulosic ethanol from agricultural residues “Biofuels and biochemicals produced from agricultural residues play a key role in reducing our carbon footprint This investment and the successful commercialization of this new technology represents a major milestone for Clariant and is a further proof point for our ambitious growth strategy led by innovations that contribute to a more sustainable world.”  This investment also brings substantial economic benefits to the region greenhouse gas emission reduction can be maximized additional business opportunities will arise along the regional value chain Co-products produced by the process will be used for the generation of renewable energy making the plant independent of fossil energy sources the resulting cellulosic ethanol is an almost carbon neutral second generation biofuel Besides application as a drop-in solution for fuel blending this offers further downstream application opportunities into bio-based chemicals and for sustainable aviation fuel “It is encouraging to see how far we have come since the start of the development of our sunliquid® technology in 2006 The technology was successfully implemented in our pre-commercial plant in 2012 and five sunliquid® technology licenses have been sold in both Europe and China since then This milestone in Romania underlines our commitment to building a more sustainable future” Clariant’s Head of Business Line Biofuels and Derivatives.  is built on a 10-hectare area on which construction was initiated in 2019 with up to 800 workers onsite Contracts with more than 300 local farmers have been signed to ensure the supply of the necessary feedstock The specialty chemical maker Clariant has become the latest company to abandon plans to commercialize cellulosic ethanol The Swiss firm is closing its cellulosic ethanol plant in Podari and will cease most operations by the end of the year The Podari site was built as a flagship and demonstration facility for the company’s cellulosic ethanol technology Most of the firm’s employees working on the business line uses fungal enzymes to break down cellulosic biomass—wheat straw in the case of the Podari plant—into sugars and starches that are then fermented into ethanol by yeast Though the company sold a handful of licenses for the technology it struggled to get its own plant ramped up to the nameplate capacity of 63 million L per year Neither Clariant nor any of the Sunliquid licensees that ACS’s Basic Package keeps you connected with C&EN and ACS ACS’s Standard Package lets you stay up to date with C&EN ACS’s Premium Package gives you full access to C&EN and everything the ACS Community has to offer The specialty chemical maker Clariant has become the latest company to abandon plans to commercialize cellulosic ethanol Clariant’s process, which it calls Sunliquid they will have a combined capacity of 254 million L Clariant says it will retain the staff needed to maintain the technology and deliver on those contracts Clariant has been under investor pressure to abandon cellulosic ethanol, especially since declaring a $242 million loss late last year on the Podari plant the investment firm Jefferies praised the decision in an investor’s note Though the closure will cost Clariant almost $227 million through 2024 it will save the firm $40 million per year drawing a line in the sand on this project should be viewed as positive,” the note says The closure is the latest in a long history of failed attempts to commercialize cellulosic ethanol and a partnership of Poet and DSM all started up Brazil’s Raízen has operated a 34 million L plant since 2015 and the firm expects to complete three more in 2024 Praj Industries opened a 30 million L plant in India last year and is working on four more; all are owned by state-run oil companies but constructed and operated by Praj who leads technical due diligence for the project finance firm New Energy Risk “It will certainly contribute to a raising of the bar for financial institutions to invest in similar projects,” he says the door is not closed on future project financing; lessons will have been learned and will need to be carefully integrated into future developments,” Price says it is always preferred to learn these lessons at a less capital-intensive scale.” Copyright © 2025 American Chemical Society Clariant, a focused, sustainable, and innovative specialty chemical company, continues with the recruitment of future specialists for the sunliquid® cellulosic ethanol plant in Podari The local Clariant team is expanding rapidly 11 new employees joined the production team four of them as team leaders that will coordinate the plant production processes in the future the local Clariant team consists now of 26 people The new staff members started their training at the precommercial sunliquid® plant in Straubing and have followed an intensive training program in the past few months another part of the training process takes place in Romania in collaboration with the University of Craiova an important and renowned educational center in the region that offers high-level training and contributes to the development of a highly qualified workforce Within the partnership with the University of Craiova Clariant’s new team members are involved in various projects and benefit from advanced courses in English “The sunliquid® project in Podari is advancing not only in terms of recruiting and training new staff members but also in terms of the ongoing construction works several milestones have already been reached as well as the installation of the first large equipment We are excited that our local team continues to grow with 11 new colleagues on board that benefit from a comprehensive training program in Romania and in Germany We are constantly progressing in the construction contributing to the development of the local economy and community” 250.000 tons of straw and will produce 50.000 tons of cellulosic ethanol and carbon-neutral biofuel that can readily be used in today’s existing car infrastructure The sunliquid® plant is constructed on a 98.000 sqm area observing the highest technological standards while paying close attention to the comfort and life of the local community The civil constructor is a Romanian company and the construction works will involve a team of up to 800 workers in the peak phase Clariant is making good progress with the construction The construction completion is expected in 2021 and thereafter start-up and production The project receives funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Program for research technological development and demonstration under Grant Agreement no 322386 (FP7 SUNLIQUID) and from the Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement no Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved ¹The project receives funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Program for research, technological development and demonstration under Grant Agreement no. 322386 (SUNLIQUID) and from the Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement no. 709606 (LIGNOFLAG) “Clariant delivered a strong underlying margin improvement in the second quarter of 2024 toward 16 % This progress results from successfully implementing our leaner customer-focused operating model and continued execution of our performance improvement programs we benefitted from improved operating leverage as we achieved growth in our Care Chemical and Adsorbents & Additives businesses while maintaining pricing discipline We are pleased with the improved cash generation in the first half of 2024 and the progress in our strategic initiatives The integration of Lucas Meyer Cosmetics is well on track our sale of the Podari plant assets and disciplined execution of the downsizing of the bioethanol business will lead to a CHF 20 million lower financial impact than originally expected together with the strong operational performance in the first six months of 2024 we have increased our profitability guidance by 100 basis points for the full year although we expect no signs of a broad market recovery in the second half of the year 2024 will be a meaningful step towards our medium-term targets.” said Conrad Keijzer a sustainability-focused specialty chemical company today announced second quarter 2024 sales of CHF 1.056 billion down 3 % organically in local currency1 (3 % in Swiss francs) versus Q2 2023 Volumes remained stable while pricing decreased by 3 % year-on-year Scope had no impact on sales with the acquisition of Lucas Meyer Cosmetics offsetting the divestment of the Quats business Care Chemicals sales increased by 3 % organically in local currency driven by strong volume growth in Industrial Applications Scope had a positive impact of 1 % versus Q2 2023 Catalysts sales declined by 18 % in local currency against a very high comparison base with the second quarter of 2023 being the strongest of the year Adsorbents & Additives sales increased by 2 % in local currency versus Q2 2023 driven by volume growth in the Additives segments and Africa region were stable organically and up 1 % including scope versus Q2 2023 as economic activity in the region remained muted Sales in the Americas declined organically by 1 % as strong growth in Care Chemicals and a slight improvement in Adsorbents & Additives was offset by lower sales in Catalysts sales in the region were stable in local currency Sales in Asia-Pacific were down 9 % (1 % related to scope) in local currency as the project cycle-driven decline in Catalysts more than offset strong growth in Care Chemicals and Adsorbents & Additives Group reported EBITDA decreased by 5 % to CHF 166 million with the corresponding margin of 15.7 % below the 16.1 % margin reported in the second quarter of 2023 when profitability was elevated by a preliminary CHF 62 million gain from the Quats disposal EBITDA increased by 47 % and the corresponding margin by over 500 basis points as growth in Care Chemicals and Adsorbents & Additives drove operating leverage A CHF 8 million improvement in the negative operational impact from the sunliquid® bioethanol activities in Catalysts to CHF 2 million from CHF 10 million in the prior year also contributed to the positive margin development Cost savings of approximately CHF 9 million from performance improvement programs contributed positively to offset inflation Lower raw material costs (- 10 %) also supported profitability in all businesses despite lower pricing There were several key developments relating to the Business Segment Biofuels & Derivatives in the second quarter of 2024 Clariant has reached an agreement with International Chemical Investors Group (ICIG) to sell the Podari plant assets for EUR 9.7 million in cash at closing The transaction is subject to regulatory approval Clariant also sold its Straubing assets for EUR 1.0 million signed a sub-rent agreement for the Planegg site and successfully terminated multiple contractual relationships The significant progress in the downsizing of related activities of the Business Segment Biofuels & Derivatives resulted in overall restructuring below budgeted costs and thus allowed the release of some provisions and cash impact will be lower than originally expected the company now expects a negative operational impact of approximately CHF 10 million (previously up to CHF 15 million) total exceptional items of up to negative CHF 15 million (previously up to CHF 30 million) and cash outflow between CHF 80 and CHF 100 million (previously between CHF 110 and CHF 140 million) down 7 % in local currency1 (- 5 % organic in local currency) and down 9 % in Swiss francs Pricing had a negative impact on the Group of 4 % while volumes were down 1 % Care Chemicals sales decreased by 6 % in local currency (- 2 % organic in local currency) sales decreased by 11 % in local currency with declines in all segments against a strong comparison base Adsorbents & Additives sales decreased by 5 % in local currency due to a relatively strong first quarter in the prior year in the Additives segments due to continued muted demand in Europe (- 8 %) with organic local currency sales growth in the US and Brazil Sales in Asia declined by 7 % versus the first half of 2023 Group EBITDA decreased by 1 % to CHF 339 million against the prior year when the disposal of the Quats business in Care Chemicals resulted in a preliminary CHF 62 million gain The corresponding margin increased to 16.4 % from 15.0 % Raw material and energy costs decreased by 10 % and 12 % while the execution of the performance improvement programs resulted in additional cost savings of CHF 20 million in the first half year 2024 A CHF 16 million improvement in the negative operational impact from the sunliquid® bioethanol activities in Catalysts The total Group net result was CHF 176 million versus CHF 232 million in the previous year when extraordinary tax income of CHF 40 million and the preliminary disposal gain of CHF 62 million had a positive impact Cash generated from operating activities for the total Group was CHF 112 million compared to CHF 78 million in the first half of 2023 The Free Cash Flow conversion (LTM) increased to 42 % from 36 % reported at the end of 2023 Net debt for the total Group increased to CHF 1 644 million versus CHF 755 million recorded at the end of 2023 This development is largely attributable to the additional debt assumed for the acquisition of Lucas Meyer Cosmetics and the resulting net debt to EBITDA ratio (LTM) stood at 2.7x at the end of the second quarter Clariant was active in the debt market during the first half of 2024 to finance this acquisition and successfully issued EUR 500 million of debt in certificates of indebtedness ("Schuldschein") These have terms of 3.5 years to 7 years with an average interest rate (fixed and floating) of around 4.9 % Clariant issued a CHF 350 million dual-tranche senior unsecured bond of CHF 200 million (3 years at 2.375 %) and CHF 150 million (7 years at 2.75 %) Clariant’s Scope 1 and 2 total greenhouse gas emissions fell to 0.51 million tons in the last twelve months (July 2023 to June 2024) a decline of 6 % from 0.54 million tons in the full year 2023 The total indirect greenhouse gas emissions for purchased goods and services (Scope 3) also decreased by 4 % from 2.28 million tons in the full year 2023 to 2.20 million tons in the last twelve months These results demonstrate continued progress toward reaching the Group’s 2030 emissions reduction targets Clariant launches PTFE-free solutions to address global PFAS challenges  The growing concern over the environmental and health impacts of PFAS chemicals has catalyzed a significant shift in the coatings and packaging industries with PTFE-based polymer processing aids finding their way into millions of tons of plastics for packaging applications regulatory pressure and increased sustainability awareness are driving the urgent need to replace PTFE Clariant has been launching a comprehensive portfolio of PTFE-free solutions for metal coatings Clariant's new offerings provide market-ready solutions that match the performance of their PTFE-containing predecessors while enhancing sustainability Clariant launched a PTFE-free processing aid for packaging polymers at Chinaplas in Shanghai in June 2024 to continuously meet the demands of customers globally These PFAS-free additives contain no inorganic content or silicone components and preserve high performance while meeting current and foreseeable regulatory requirements Outlook – Stable to slightly growing sales in local currency reported EBITDA margin expectation up 100 basis points to around 16 % Clariant expects to see a continued easing of the inflationary environment but no significant economic recovery with macroeconomic uncertainties and risks remaining Clariant expects flat to low single-digit percent sales growth (previously: low single-digit percent) in local currency including the impact of the acquisition of Lucas Meyer Cosmetics and in Adsorbents & Additives is expected to compensate for second half year uncertainties in the Catalysts recovery phasing Reported EBITDA margin is expected to improve to around 16 % up 100 basis points from the previous estimate of around 15 % and includes the impact of the Lucas Meyer Cosmetics acquisition which is progressing in line with expectations The increase is supported by the strong performance in the first half of the year and a reduced sunliquid® impact As a result of the successful steps taken in downsizing its biofuels activities and the divestment of the Podari plant assets Clariant now expects an operational impact of up to negative CHF 10 million (previously up to negative CHF 15 million) and an exceptional impact of up to negative CHF 15 million (previously up to negative CHF 30 million) Cost savings benefits from restructuring programs are expected to deliver CHF 32 million in 2024 Clariant reiterates its expectation that 2025 will be a year of continued on the basis of an expected 3 %– 5 % improvement in key end market demand Clariant expects to achieve EBITDA margin of 17 %– 18 % and free cash flow conversion at the targeted level of around 40 % Clariant remains committed to its medium-term targets as end markets recover and growth normalizes over the next two to three years Clariant will adopt an agile response to the economic environment and remain resolute in its plans to achieve the medium-term targets The company is well positioned to achieve these targets as the accretive impacts of the Lucas Meyer Cosmetics acquisition and investments in China are realized benefits from increased cost savings are expected Clariant will be holding an Investor Day on Monday, 4 November 2024. This in-person event will take place at the Andaz London Liverpool Street Hotel, from 11.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. local time. Presenters will include CEO Conrad Keijzer, CFO Bill Collins, and the Business Presidents. There will be time allocated for Q&A. Investors and analysts can register to attend in person via this link The event will be recorded and made available on the Clariant website shortly after the conclusion of the event and scope exclude the impact from hyperinflation countries Argentina and Türkiye All references to currency include a net impact from hyperinflation countries Argentina and Türkiye The new sunliquid™ plant is ready to start production in Romania It is the nucleus for a new sustainable business ecosystem It was a feeling of déjà vu for Thomas Hoppe he had overseen the construction and commissioning of the world’s first pre-commercial sunliquid™ plant in Straubing he was doing it all again – only about 700 miles farther southeast and at a vastly larger scale.  two EU-funded projects to generate cellulosic ethanol from agricultural residues1 It marks a new era for sustainable fuels and impacts the industry far beyond Romania  »The sunliquid™ technology is a game changer for advanced biofuels. And our plant in Podari will be the greatest proof yet. I am very inspired by the high level of commitment and tremendous teamwork – our ambitious milestones have all been reached so far. Key to our success was our strong leadership and excellent management support.«  The decision in favor of Craiova was due partly to the existence of a secure regional supply of feedstock and partly to the region’s existing logistic and industrial infrastructure. Construction of the plant will provide a whole range of benefits for the surrounding region of Craiova. sunliquid – a sustainable and advanced biofuel You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed a focused and innovative specialty chemical company provides farmers in Oltenia with the opportunity to transform straw into an additional source of income As part of the first official workshop organized by the company for farmers in the Oltenia region the attendants had the opportunity to learn more about the sunliquid® plant being built by Clariant in Podari and how they can become part of the agricultural residues supply chain The event was attended by Daniel Eugeniu Crunțeanu State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture; Dragoș Gavriluță Project Director at Clariant and Paul Popescu Feedstock and Logistics Manager at Clariant “The plant in Podari will generate new jobs for a sustainable industry as well as economic growth in the Oltenia region especially creating new opportunities for local farmers in terms of additional sources of income” The event was a first step in Clariant’s strategy to develop a long-term relationship in which approximately 250 local farmers become cereal straw suppliers and ensure a reliable supply chain The attending farmers expressed their interest in the opportunity to generate additional income I understand that Clariant’s project creates many opportunities for me as a farmer from the valorization of straw residues to the involvement in related activities storage and transportation of straw bales” Co-funded by the European Union and the Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking as part of the sunliquid and LIGNOFLAG project the Clariant plant in Podari is designed to process approximately 250,000 tons cereal straw annually which will be converted in 50,000 tons of cellulosic ethanol Cellulosic ethanol is an advanced and truly sustainable biofuel which is almost carbon neutral produced from agricultural residues such as wheat straw by using Clariant’s awarded technology Its importance increases significantly in light of the sustainability regulations adopted by the European Union which aim to support energy usage from renewable sources in all types of transportation the cellulosic ethanol produced in Podari will have a significant economic impact at regional level 6 benefits of the sunliquid plant for Oltenia region: sunliquid® IS A TRADEMARK OF CLARIANT REGISTERED IN MANY COUNTRIES “We are proud to support our long-standing customer Clariant in the construction of this groundbreaking plant that will contribute to the large-scale production of sustainable fuels” “With our extensive network and expertise in design we ensure the timely and efficient execution of this major project.” While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to present a challenging situation the team was able to ensure that work on the construction site continues while fully complying with all pandemic precautionary regulations as established by the Romanian authorities several milestones have been reached on the construction site while also achieving the installation of the majority of large key equipment This puts us on track to complete the construction by the end of 2021 after which start-up and production will commence We are proud to see already the substantial benefits that our investment is bringing to the Podari region and look forward to see its impact increase further once the plant is fully staffed and operating at full capacity" Vice President and Head of Business Line Biofuels and Derivatives at Clariant An international team at Bilfinger Tebodin of around 130 experts from the Netherlands The team has realized the complete process design in one digital platform Centralizing all data makes the planning of the plant more efficient as it considerably speeds up design reviews Bilfinger Tebodin is combining various software packages The 3D model of the plant is extended to a 4D model that includes time planning making it possible to optimize the sequence of the individual construction phases Bilfinger Tebodin is also assisting Clariant in procuring materials and services the team manages and supervises the construction works the plant will process around 250,000 tons of locally sourced wheat straw per year into 50,000 tons of cellulosic ethanol and carbon-neutral biofuel that can readily be blended into conventional fuel and be used in today’s car infrastructure Clariant’s sunliquid® plant will use co-products from the process for the generation of energy with the goal of making the plant independent from fossil energy sources Bilfinger Tebodin the Basel-based group said the plant has not yet achieved the targeted yields and other operational parameters on an industrial scale management believes the charge is appropriate Due to the “unique value” of the sunliquid technology that converts agricultural waste into second-generation bioethanol, Clariant plans to continue its commercialization though CEO Conrad Keijzer conceded that its viability “remains challenging.” will be booked in December 2022 and will be reflected in the full year 2022 results Keijzer said management is pleased with the group’s strong financial performance in the first three quarters of 2022 and said the chemical producer will continue to focus on the execution of its “leading purpose-driven sustainability strategy.” The cellulosic ethanol produced at Podari can be applied as a drop-in solution for fuel blending and also offers further downstream application opportunities for sustainable aviation fuel and bio-based chemicals The proprietary technology features a fully integrated process design built on an established fundament that includes chemical-free pre-treatment the integrated production of feedstock- and process-specific enzymes and simultaneous C5 and C6 sugar fermentation and strategic direction in an exclusive CHEManager International interview Are you ready to elevate your pharmaceutical operations Download our exclusive whitepaper and discover how compliance with Good Distribution Practice (GDP) is essential for the safety and integrity of pharmaceuticals BY Russian Art & Culture POSTED 16/01/2020 9:56 AM London’s Savoy Hotel hosted the ninth annual Gift of Life Gala to raise funds to help severely ill children The evening raised over £720,000 for the purchase of medications and surgeries for children with oncological diseases in Russian hospitals The event brought together many compassionate people some of whom have supported Gift of Life for years Among the attendees were famous businessman and philanthropist Leonard Blavatnik curator and arts administrator Olga Sviblova The gala was co-hosted by Chulpan Khamatova actress and co-founder of Gift of Life’s sister charity Podari Zhizn film director and producer Alexey Agranovich Gift of Life’s work has raised over £7,000,000 in aid of ill children and teenagers Alexey Agranovich Photo credit Evgenia Basyrova Chulpan Khamatova: “This is the ninth year that the Gift of Life Gala has brought together such talented and exceptional people who and all of them feel the drive to reach out and help I’m delighted to have so much support in our battle to save children’s lives!” a young woman formerly in Podari Zhizn’s care visited the Gala in order to talk about children in need of help and share her own story of recovering from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia It was thanks to a bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor that she was able to overcome her terrible illness The talented composer and pianist Kirill Richter offered the guests a gift of music he performed pieces from his new album “CHRONOS” which includes studio recordings of compositions for the violin The composer describes this music as “a soundtrack for life” one which invariably impresses listeners with its sincerity and expression Kirill Richter: “I wrote “CHRONOS” during a difficult period in my life so I understand how important it can be to have someone to support you But that’s nothing compared to what children with cancer have to go through Gift of Life helps those for whom it’s literally a matter of life and death and I’m happy to support it whenever I can.” A real surprise of the evening was a performance by a renowned choreographer and dancer Vladimir Varnava He is the youngest winner of “The Golden Mask” theatre award in the category «Best Male Role in Ballet» and the competition of young choreographers of the festival “Context Guests of the event had the unique opportunity to see his creative collaboration with Kirill Richter and the musicians of the “Richter Trio” in a chamber atmosphere The charity auction that traditionally concludes a Gift of Life gala was conducted by Alexey Agranovich the main lots for guests to compete for were: the premieres of the play “Gorbachev” starring Yevgeny Mironov and Chulpan Khamatova a week-long course at Nika Belotserkovskaya’s school in Provence a safari in South Africa organised by Thanda Royal Residence the opportunity to attend the Wimbledon finals and meet the world’s youngest tennis star and an evening of Natalia Osipova performing at the Royal Opera house Natalia Osipova: “Dance is an art that can only be comprehended with an open heart which isn’t possible without empathy for those around you I’d like to thank Podari Zhizn and Gift of Life which bring together people who know what it means to see and feel.” The gala was made possible by generous support from Roman Abramovich who took on all costs of organising the event The funds raised by the gala will be transferred for treatment of the children in Gift of Life’s care in Russia What Latvia’s Oscar-winning animation ‘Flow’ tells us about the world today Rachmaninoff reimagined by Teodor Doré – a tapestry of symphonic energies and spirits Hidden stories of migration What is the heart of Europe? <  April | June  > © Copyright 2011-2024 Izba Arts ksenia.kazintseva@gmail.com a leading German company specialized in developing decentralized energy solutions for industry and real estate makes significant progress in the construction of the biomass plant in Podari that will supply Clariant bioethanol plant Construction works are progressing, with several important stages already being completed. In the first part of 2020, the two construction sites were supplied with electricity through the newly erected 110 kV transformer station, and in mid-September, works began on the installation of biomass boiler and gas redundancy boilers. the construction team began installing a large and complex water treatment plant followed by the start of preparations for the beginning of works on the steam supply installation which will be completed in the first quarter of 2021 The new cogeneration unit brings multiple advantages at the local level, starting with the newly created jobs along the supply chain, for people of Dolj County, but also a cleaner environment and a long-term partnership between companies and the community. In addition to these benefits, the company is involved and contributes to the creation of an improved energy sector to leave a clean and ecological heritage for years to come. with an innovative cogeneration project for Clariant The carbon-neutral biomass plant designed by GETEC will power Clariant cellulosic bioethanol facility in Podari The plant will use a revolutionary technology that turns lignin – a residual product of the ethanol process – into carbon-neutral energy GETEC network includes 45 locations in Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Hungary, as well as in Romania, through the Bucharest office. Back in the early days, the company developed heating solutions for the housing industry and energy solutions for industrial clients were added later on. the fields and services provided by GETEC cover a fairly wide range: develops solutions for everything related to the power and gas supply as well as the commercialisation of power produced with in-house generation systems set-up and operation of energy supply networks and is specialized in the design and realisation and utilisation of renewable energies specifically in the development and operation of systems for the generation of power heat and gas from energy sources such as biogas We use cookies for keeping our website reliable and secure providing social media features and to analyse how our website is used Bordeaux's Cru Bourgeois classification is on-course to bring back a three-tier quality ranking in 2020 as officials say they are confident of avoiding a legal quagmire The Alliance des Crus Bourgeois du Médoc in Bordeaux has confirmed that in 2020 it hopes to reintroduce a classification system bringing back the three quality levels of: If approved by government ministers this year the new system would technically be valid from the 2017 vintage said the director of the Cru Bourgeois classification in place since the 2008 vintage release in 2010 where ‘Cru Bourgeois’ is effectively a quality seal given on a per vintage basis before bottling The 2015 vintage selection has just been announced and includes 271 châteaux Seventy eight percent of the 300 members of Alliance des Crus Bourgeois voted to restore the three-tier system at a recent AGM But, the most pressing question for the organisers is how to avoid winemakers contesting any decisions through the courts, as has plagued the St-Emilion classification It was also legal challenges that resulted in the 2003 Cru Bourgeois classification being abandoned It was declared officially invalid in 2007 and then replaced with the current system ‘We will ensure impartiality at every step of the process,’ Dutheillet de Lamothe told Decanter.com ‘We have proved we are able to do this effectively over the past eight years ‘And we believe that making a classification that is renewable every five years instead of every ten will also help – producers will be given regular opportunities for promotion.’ “Important customers from both Romania and other EU countries have shown a high interest in the sunliquid® technology and cellulosic ethanol and we are confident that this will lead to advantageous cooperation in the coming years,” Dragos Gavriluta Country Head for Romania – Clariant Products RO SRL told The Diplomat-Bucharest “The Podari project is a flagship one for both Clariant and the industry at large demonstrating how the sunliquid® technology works and why biofuels are beneficial from an economic and environmental perspective our strategy is to expand licensing to other countries worldwide as any region where raw material abounds may be the next spot on the cellulosic ethanol manufacturing map.” What are Clariant’s medium and long-term goals after the completion of the Podari plant The plant we have built in Podari is the first full-scale commercial unit of its kind using the innovative sunliquid® technology to produce biofuel Clariant’s approach is revolutionary in the sense that agricultural residues are collected from local farmers and processed into cellulosic ethanol As this project is now successfully completed and soon to become operational we are committed to present the strong competitive advantages brought by the technology and the positive impact it has on the community in hope more investors will get on board and support the development of this relatively new field we look at granting other sunliquid® licenses globally Five such projects are currently being rolled out – three of them in Europe Clariant will remain a strong advocate for green and sustainable business models and aims to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in line with the bold objectives embraced by the European Union What challenges did you face in completing the plant Developing a flagship project of this magnitude can be challenging at any time but we had a few assets – Clariant international best practices the high standards that our partners resonated with and the confidence and the motivation which kept pushing us forward the pandemic determined us to rethink our strategy and come up with rigorous sanitary precaution measures but we managed to stick to the initial scheduling but it definitely paid off and now we look forward to starting production How many workers will be needed in the new plant and what are your plans for it Our team at Clariant Romania currently counts almost 80 employees We have been both happy and proud to see the trust they have invested us with and their enthusiasm in developing a successful career we believe that gathering competent people is not enough and we as an employer need to play our part as well enabling them to develop professionally and personally the team of core specialists completed training at the bioethanol plant in Straubing and are now passing on their knowledge to our colleagues and training them for their new jobs at Clariant another part of the training was carried out in collaboration with the University of Craiova an important and famous educational centre in the Oltenia region Clariant team members were involved in different projects and benefited from advanced courses in English How long do you estimate that the production of cellulosic ethanol using sunliquid® technology will be economically competitive Sustainability concerns us all and authorities companies and individuals alike have been focusing more and more on finding the best solutions to make sure that future generations will inherit the environment that they truly deserve there is a strong need to invest in green technologies and products which contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions Transportation is a central piece in today’s society and we have to pay attention to how it impacts air quality Although several options have been considered biofuels – like the cellulosic ethanol to be produced in Podari – has an impressive potential since it can be blended with conventional fuels and used in the current infrastructure Important customers from both Romania and other EU countries have shown a high interest in the sunliquid® technology and cellulosic ethanol and we are confident that this will lead to advantageous cooperation in the coming years Under what conditions would you build a new plant of this type in Romania?  The Podari project is a flagship one for both Clariant and the industry at large as any region where raw material abounds may be the next spot on the cellulosic ethanol manufacturing map It is important to emphasize that Romania is well positioned to produce advanced biofuels given the abundance of agricultural residues in our country We hope that the results of our project will attract other investors who are convinced of the prospects of this industry.