1 Jun 2015

sunliquid® distinguished at the GreenTec Awards 2015

sunliquid® has been awarded third place in the automobility category
With the pioneering technology, sunliquid, cellulosic ethanol is produced, serving mobility of the future
Biofuel offers 95 % savings in greenhouse gas emissions without competing with food resources

Muttenz, June 1, 2015 – Clariant a world leader in specialty chemicals, was distinguished last Friday with third place at the GreenTec Awards 2015 in the automobility category for its innovative sunliquid® process used in the manufacture of cellulosic ethanol from agricultural residues.

Clariant convinced the jury comprised of business, science, associations and media that second generation biofuels based on agricultural residues, such as wheat straw, can not only be manufactured economically and sustainably, but already pass the field test of forward-looking mobility.

The GreenTec Award is Europe’s renowned environmental- and business award. It honors innovative projects that point the way to a cleaner future. Clariant CEO Hariolf Kottmann is pleased with this placing. “Sustainability and innovation are two main pillars of our corporate strategy. sunliquid unites both together”, said Kottmann. “This award shows that the sunliquid technology has the potential to provide a significant contribution to sustainable mobility.”

New, domestic energy sources are being developed with the manufacture of cellulosic ethanol from agricultural residues. These renewable raw materials accrue regionally, do not compete with food and animal feed, and do not use additional agricultural land.

In Germany, cellulosic ethanol was first subjected as E20 (20 % cellulose ethanol in gasoline) to a fleet test in series cars in 2014 in a cooperation between Clariant, Mercedes-Benz and Haltermann where it impressed in every aspect: compared to the present standard gasoline, no additional consumption was recorded; at the same time it showed ideal combustion characteristics and delivered outstanding engine performance. Particle emissions were reduced by 50 %. In addition, the cellulosic ethanol proportion demonstrated up to 95 % savings in greenhouse gases over the total value chain (well-to-wheel assessment).

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Clariant International Ltd
Rothausstrasse 61
4132 Muttenz 1
Switzerland

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Notes for editors

sunliquid® IS A TRADEMARK OF CLARIANT REGISTERED IN MANY COUNTRIES.

www.sunliquid.com

sunliquid® is an innovative biotechnological process for manufacturing cellulosic ethanol from agricultural residues such as cereal straw, corn stover or sugarcane bagasse. During the fully integrated process, highly optimized, feedstock-specific biocatalysts split cellulose and hemicellulose into fermentable sugars under stable processing conditions in high yields. The process-integrated production of biocatalysts offers flexibility and reduces production costs. In the next step, an optimized fermentation organism allows both C5 and C6 sugars to be converted into ethanol, so increasing the ethanol yield by around 50%. An innovative purification process developed by Clariant is instrumental in enabling all the energy required for the process to be derived from the insoluble residue lignin. The resulting cellulosic ethanol saves around 95% of CO2 emissions compared to fossil-derived gasoline. Since July 2012, Clariant has been operating a demonstration plant in Straubing, producing up to 1,000 metric tons of cellulosic ethanol from around 4,500 metric tons of raw materials every year.

www.clariant.com

Clariant is a globally leading specialty chemicals company, based in Muttenz near Basel/Switzerland. On December 31, 2014 the company employed a total workforce of 17 003. In the financial year 2014, Clariant recorded sales of CHF 6.116 billion for its continuing businesses. The company reports in four business areas: Care Chemicals, Catalysis & Energy, Natural Resources, and Plastics & Coatings. Clariant’s corporate strategy is based on five pillars: increase profitability, reposition portfolio, add value with sustainability, foster innovation and R&D, and intensify growth.