Celtic Renewables partners Bio Base Europe
Pilot Plant following £1.2million investment
Celtic Renewables, the Edinburgh-based biofuel company, has signed an agreement with
Europe’s foremost biotechnology pilot facility to undergo next stage testing of its process to
turn whisky by-products into biofuel that can power current vehicles.
The partnership, which will allow the company to develop its technology at Bio Base Europe
Pilot Plant (BBEPP) in Ghent, has been made possible by second round funding worth
£1.2million, including more than £800,000 from the UK Government, to help meet its ambition
of growing a new £100 million-a-year industry in the UK.
Celtic Renewables, a spin-out company from the Biofuel Research Centre at Edinburgh
Napier University, has already proved the concept of producing biobutanol from draff – the
sugar-rich kernels of barley which are soaked in water to facilitate the fermentation process
necessary for whisky production – and pot ale, the yeasty liquid that is heated during
distillation.
It will spend the next few months seeking to replicate work done in its Scottish laboratory at
an industrial scale.
It is the first company to trial biobutanol technology at the Belgian demonstrator pilot facility
and also the first Scottish company to sign a partnership with BBEPP .
Established by the EU to enable the development of a sustainable biobased economy,
BBEPP was established to support the advancement of sustainable biobased processes that
cut reliance on non-replaceable fossil fuels.
Professor Martin Tangney, Founder and President of Celtic Renewables, said the latest
developments demonstrated the commitment of government and industry partners to help it
meet its ambition to become a groundbreaking company, based in Scotland, with global
reach.
“Our ambition to grow a sustainable, international industry from Scotland requires strong
partnerships and we are delighted to be working with BioBase Europe Pilot Plant, to help us
complete the next, crucial stage in our development,” he said.
Professor Wim Soetaert, CEO of the BBEPP, said: “The transition from the current fossilbased economy towards a biobased economy is essential for industrial sustainability
throughout Europe.
“Biobased production is already transforming a broad range of industries around the world
and Celtic Renewables, making advanced biofuel and sustainable chemicals from whisky byproducts, is exactly the kind of inspired innovation that our BBEPP is designed to support. In
this regard the synergy of our partnership is perfect and we are really excited with this
opportunity to work with such a forward-thinking company.”
It is anticipated that the work done by Celtic Renewables at the facility will facilitate the
production of the world’s first industrial samples of biobutanol derived from whisky production
residues, allowing it to be used as a direct replacement for petrol and diesel, without the need
to modify engines.
The company plans to build its first commercial demonstration facility in Scotland and it is
targeting a proposed £25million fund operated by the Department of Transport to help fund
this.
Celtic Renewables recently gained second-round investment of £410,000 in private equity
investment and it has been awarded funding worth more than £800,000 from the Department
of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) at Westminster.
Professor Tangney added: “This partnership agreement has only been made possible by the
immensely encouraging demonstration of continued support from our private investors and a
hugely important grant from DECC.”
Michael Fallon, the UK Energy Minister, said: “This novel technology takes the by-products of
Scotland’s finest export to power vehicles. DECC’s Energy Entrepreneurs Fund was
designed to support small and medium-sized businesses like Celtic Renewables to develop
state-of-the-art technologies, products and processes that will help us become more energy
efficient. This is a prime example of how innovative technology can flourish with the right
support.”
Maggie McGinlay, Director of Energy at Scottish Enterprise said: “The establishment of this
European partnership is a significant milestone in the growth of Celtic Renewables. The rapid
growth that this company has seen is testament to the value of commercialising the
innovative technology coming out of the research base. We are particularly pleased to see a
company that we have supported from the technology-development stage achieve such huge
success in furthering the commercial product validation. We look forward to continuing our
work with the company to realise its global ambitions.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
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BBEPP, located in Ghent (Belgium), is Europe’s first independent, open
innovation centre for the biobased economy. This pilot facility specialises in process
development, scale-up and custom manufacturing of innovative biobased products
and processes.
Its focus is on converting biomass, starch, cellulose, vegetable oils and agricultural
waste to produce bioproducts, biomaterials and bio-energy that can be applied in a
variety of sectors such as the chemical industry, food and feed, personal care, paper
and pulp, textiles and energy.
In 2012, Celtic Renewables signed a memorandum of understanding with Tullibardine
Distillery in Perthshire, Scotland, which has provided the company with the raw
materials necessary to develop its process.
The Biofuel Research Centre was established by Professor Martin Tangney at
Edinburgh Napier University in December 2007. It was the first such centre of its kind,
set up for the purpose of developing sustainable biofuels.
In 2012 Professor Tangney was named International Innovator of the Year by the
Institute of Chemical Engineering in recognition of his work in converting whisky
production residues into biofuel.
Celtic Renewables Ltd is internationally regarded as one of the most innovative new
renewables companies in the UK, producing environmentally and commercially
sustainable “drop-in”, advanced biofuel from the copious residues of one of the
country’s largest and most iconic industries - the £4-billion malt whisky industry.
The company has won innovation awards at the Scottish Green Energy Awards, the
UK Chemical Industry Awards and is the recipient of a Shell Springboard Award for
Low Carbon Technology.
To arrange an interview with Professor Tangney and Mark Simmers, chief executive of Celtic
Renewables, contact Carlos Alba on 0141 637 6399 or 07880 505647 or email
carlos@carlosalbamedia.co.uk.