CropEnergies has started construction of a plant for renewable ethyl acetate at the Zeitz Chemical and Industrial Park in Germany. The plant will use sustainable ethanol as feedstock, replacing fossil carbon in ethyl acetate production.
The project represents an investment of €120–130 million, with commissioning planned for the end of 2025. Around 50 jobs are expected to be created.
The plant will use an energy-efficient production technology from Johnson Matthey, with De Smet Engineers & Contractors as technical partner. GETEC will build an energy plant supplying heat and electricity and capable of utilizing biomass as well as liquid and gaseous production residues.
The project marks CropEnergies’ entry into the bio-based chemicals business and establishes what the company describes as the first plant of its kind for renewable ethyl acetate in Europe.