Grangemouth to welcome industrial-scale biorefinery

CHEMICALS producer Celtic Renewables has taken a further step towards building an industrial-scale biorefinery at Grangemouth after appointing engineering consultancy Allen Associates to carry out a front-end engineering design (FEED) study.

The company already operates a demonstration biorefinery at the site and says the new facility will support the production of “green chemicals” at significantly increased scale.

Celtic Renewables uses biomass residues to produce bio-based alternatives to butanol and acetone, chemicals widely used in cleaning products and pharmaceuticals. The company claims these products can deliver up to a 65% reduction in carbon emissions compared with their fossil-derived counterparts.

Scale-up

The company completed its demonstration plant in 2021, which can produce around 1m L/y of bio-based chemicals. Over a seven-month study period, Celtic Renewables’ FEED project will define a new plant with ten times the capacity of the existing facility.

Mark Simmers, CEO of Celtic Renewables, said: “This FEED project with Allen Associates is an important step for Celtic Renewables as we look to ramp up our current production capabilities to meet the growing global demand for bio-based alternatives to chemicals derived from fossil fuels.”

Scottish jobs

The Grangemouth biorefinery is expected to create around 149 jobs, supported by £6.23m (US$8.34m) of investment from the Scottish government.

The project adds to a growing pipeline of low-carbon developments at Grangemouth, which has been identified as a key hub for Scotland’s industrial transition.

In a separate announcement made after Celtic Renewables’ plans were confirmed, biotechnology firm MiAlgae revealed proposals for a manufacturing facility in Grangemouth that would produce fish-free omega-3 oils from algae, using by-products from the whisky industry. The project is expected to create more than 310 jobs over the next five years.

MiAlgae’s development is backed by £3m of Scottish government funding, with £1.5m provided through the Grangemouth Just Transition Fund.