Crescentino story - the world's first cellulosic ethanol plant is reality
The main aim of BIOLYFE was to design and construct an industrial-scale second generation bioethanol production plant with an output of 40,000 tons ethanol per year. The construction of the BIOLYFE ethanol production plant in Crescentino, Italy, started with the Foundation Stone Ceremony on 12 April 2011. The press release can be downloaded here. Please see also a brief report in the 4th Biolyfe newsletter.
The bio-refinery, with a footprint of 15 hectares, will have a positive economic impact in the region, employing around 100 people and creating more than 200 indirect jobs. Started up in January 2013, the facility has a production capacity of 75 million litres a year of second generation bioethanol intended for the European market. The plant is entirely self-sufficient in terms of energy consumption (13 MW of electricity produced from lignin) and does not discharge any wastewater, ensuring 100% water recycling. Construction of the plant required 1,500 tons of steel, 1,400 tons of pipes and valves and 18 km of underground pipes. 370 machines were used in the process. The “revolutionary” feature of the bio-refinery is the technology platform that is used to obtain bioethanol.
In fact, the innovative PROESATM (PROduzione di Etanolo da biomasSA - Production of ethanol from biomass) technology combined with Cellic® enzymes produced by Novozymes makes use of sugars that are present in lignocellulosic (non-food) biomass to obtain alcohol, fuel and other chemical products with low emissions of greenhouses gases at competitive costs, compared to fossil fuels. Moreover, the PROESATM technology produces biofuels that ensure a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions close to 90% of those generated by fossil fuels - substantially better that the reduction achieved by 1st generation biofuels.
Key information about the Crescentino plant:
- Footprint of 15 ha
- Biomass storage volume: 14,000 m3 for fresh biomass (Arundo Donax); 11,200 m3 for dry biomass (straw)
- 13 MW green electricity from lignin
- 100% water recycle: zero water discharge
- 100 operators on staff
Some interesting facts about the site:
- 370 pieces of equipment
- 1,500 tons of steel structures
- 1,400 tons of pipes and valves
- 30,000 m3 of concrete
- 18 km of underground piping
The main product streams of Crescentino demo plant are:
1. Fuel Ethanol:
- 50,697,085 liters (40,000 tons) per year of UDA
- 150,165 liters per day UDA based on 333 stream days per year production
- 6,257 liters per hour UDA based on 24 hours per day production
2. Lignin:
- From 150,000 to 180,000 tons per year