News

The Bioethanol plant in Pischelsdorf started the test operation as scheduled. The technical commissioning has been executed successfully. Due to increasing feed costs for corn and grain AGRANA decided to shut down the plant after the test operations. Full production shall begin in spring 2008 after a period of idleness which will be used to optimize the plant and plant processes. It is to expect that world market prizes are coming back to normal in middle term and full operation will start in spring time.

Record-breaking Biofuel Project

The biggest industrial plant being built in Austria at present and having an overall investment value of EUR 125 million is put up in Pischelsdorf, on the banks of the Danube river. The plant is based on a technology developed by the American KATZEN International Inc. and will have a capacity of 240,000 m3/a bioethanol which will be produced with an alcohol content of 99.5 % from wheat, corn and thick sugar beet juice. In addition to this 170,000 t/a protein feeding stuff `DDGS´ (Distillers Dried Grain with Solubles) are produced. Already during the starting phase this project was most likely to set records: only five months after the AGRANA supervisory board had decided to build the bioethanol plant an extensive documentation was submitted for authority approval acc. to the EIA Directive. Not even seven months later the final notice was received. All authority requests could be fulfilled.

Pörner: the general contractor

In summer 2006 excavators started to roll at the site and in autumn of the same year a great number of carcass works could be finished. Start of structural steelwork erection, equipment, piping, switchgear and cable installation is in 2007. By performing the general planning for this large-scale project the biggest independent Austrian engineering company, Pörner Ingenieurgesellschaft has ventured into new dimensions. In close cooperation with the technology provider and AGRANA specialists the new plant will be implemented in record time. All engineering work starting from civil/structural engineering performed by Pörner + Partner ZT GesmbH through mechanical, piping, electrical and control systems up to complete partial units has been performed.

Because of the use of 3D planning tools the client is able to go for a virtual walk through `his´ plant and simulate the operation of each valve in advance. The fully automatic process control system will make sure that all processes can be controlled by a mouse click.

Planning of the bioethanol plant as well as the short implementation period which has been made possible by a high-professionally working project management are a successful example of how trouble-free engineering work can be organized for large-scale projects. `All out of one hand´ can be received in Austria from Pörner only...