INA selects Futurol™ licensed by Axens for its project of advanced bioethanol production in Croatia

The Croatian oil and gas company INA has awarded Axens a license agreement to supply Futurol™ cellulosic ethanol technology and contract for basic engineering design of an advanced bioethanol production plant in Sisak, Croatia.

Supplying INA with its innovative and sustainable Futurol™ technology for the advanced bioethanol production project marks a major step for Axens as a key player in biofuels and bio-based chemicals production processes. Axens will be involved in a full-scale commercial cellulosic bioethanol production plant, a first of its kind.

Futurol™ technology would enable INA to produce 55,000 tons per year, equivalent to 70 million liters, of advanced ethanol in synergy with green energy production, based on lignocellulosic feedstock such as agricultural residues and energy crop Miscanthus. As per the Renewable Energy Directive II (REDII), the second-generation ethanol allows more than 85% reduction of greenhouse gas emission as compared to the fossil reference.

About Futurol™ Technology

Commercialised by Axens, the Futurol^TM technology converts biomass from agricultural and forest residues into cellulosic, second generation (2G) bioethanol through enzymatic conversion and fermentation.

This innovative technology combines several integrated stages, including the onsite enzymes production (In-Situ). Futurol^TM has been developed since 2008 by a consortium of eleven partners, including R&D, industrial and financial actors, whose expertise cover the whole production chain, from the biomass resources to the  bioethanol: ARD, IFP Energies nouvelles, INRA, Lesaffre, Office national des forêts, Tereos, Total, Vivescia, Crédit Agricole Nord Est Participations, CGB, Unigrains. A continuous pilot plant located in Pomacle-Bazancourt, and a commercial scale pretreatment unit implemented in Tereos facility in Bucy-Le-Long allowed validating the different stages of the technology. 

About Axens

Axens (www.axens.net) is a group providing a complete range of solutions for the conversion of oil and biomass to cleaner fuels, the production and purification of major petrochemical intermediates as well as all of natural gas' treatment and conversion options. The offer includes technologies, equipment, furnaces, modular units, catalysts, adsorbents and related services. Axens is ideally positioned to cover the entire value chain, from feasibility study to unit start-up and follow-up throughout the entire unit cycle life. This unique position ensures the highest level of performance with a reduced environmental footprint. Axens global offer is based on highly trained human resources, modern production facilities and an extended global network for industrial, technical supports & commercial services. Axens is an IFP Group company.

About INA

INA Group plays a leading role in Croatia’s oil business and a significant regional role in hydrocarbon exploration and production, oil processing, and the distribution of oil and oil products. INA Group consists of several affiliated entities, entirely or partially owned by INA, d.d. The Group is based in Zagreb, Croatia. INA has hydrocarbon exploration and production operations in Croatia, Angola, and Egypt. The oil is processed at INA’s oil refineries - RN Rijeka and RN Sisak, while INA’s regional retail network includes more than 500 retail sites in Croatia and the neighboring countries. INA Group is a member of MOL Group.

_{Press Contact:}

_{Corinne GARRIGA}

_{Head of Axens Group Communications
corinne.garriga@axens.net}

_{Tel.: +33 1 47 14 25 14 – Mob.: +33 6 73 85 84 02}