In Poland, Polski Koncern Naftowy ORLEN S.A (PKN ORLEN) and subsidiary ORLEN Południe have signed an agreement providing for the construction of an advanced industrial unit that would produce second-generation ethanol at the Jedlicze Refinery.
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The agreement for the first of its kind plant in Poland and the second one in Europe also provides for the project would be financed.
The first such plant was built in Romania.
The project is aligned with the ORLEN Group’s strategic objective to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and would also strengthen Poland’s position on the European market for second-generation biofuels.
As envisaged by the ORLEN 2030 strategy, we are strengthening our position as a regional leader in new generation biofuels. The planned construction of a 2G bioethanol unit would be another investment in environmentally friendly technologies designed to reduce carbon emissions, said Daniel Obajtek, President of the PKN ORLEN Management Board.
The Jedlicze advanced biofuels unit would be capable of producing 25 000 tonnes of bioethanol per year.
Once brought on stream, the project would also meaningfully contribute to the fulfillment by PKN ORLEN of the biofuel quota, which has been incrementally increased. It would also create new jobs and help fully exploit the potential of agriculture in south-eastern Poland while delivering measurable benefits to the Polish economy and the region, Daniel Obajtek said.
Cereal straw and Miscanthus
Residual agricultural feedstocks, predominantly cereal straw sourced mainly from Polish farmers are the intended feedstock.
The company also intends to expand its feedstock base by utilizing waste products and energy crops, such as Miscanthus.
The result would be a more complete utilization of the potential of local agriculture.
Energy self-sufficient process
The Jedlicze bioethanol complex would comprise the main unit and an advanced biomass-fired combined heat and power (CHP) plant to provide the energy needed.
On an annual basis, some 90 000 tonnes of lignin, a residue of the straw conversion process, would be used by the CHP’s 48 MW fluidized-bed (FB) boiler.
The project would also increase the use of ORLEN Południe’s land in Jedlicze for the purposes of industrial development.
Additionally, it would create jobs, with about 50 new positions offered at the refinery, for specialists in advanced biotechnologies and other staff.
On the basis of this project, ORLEN Południe would also undertake further research and development work, related, among other things, to further biological processing of its co-products, such as lignin and dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS).
Transition to biorefineries
The construction of the 2G bioethanol unit would mark another stepping stone in the envisaged transformation of ORLEN Południe plants into advanced biorefineries running on renewable feedstocks.
In November last year, the Trzebinia Refinery saw the launch of Europe’s largest green glycol unit.
The company is also investing in its biogas program to develop a network of biomethane plants across the country.