Kate Forbes tours Celtic Renewables – Scotland's first biorefinery in Grangemouth

The Minister was in town today to see the work of Celtic Renewables which takes by-products and waste from the food, drink and agriculture industries – including residues from whisky distillation – and turns them into high-value green chemicals, bioacetone and biobutanol.

Its patented technology aims to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and cut the carbon footprint of everyday products, from medicines to cosmetics.

Set up over 16 years ago, it began as a spin-out from Edinburgh Napier University and moved to Grangemouth in 2021 with its demonstrator plant.

Mark Simmers, CEO of Celtic Renewables, said: “What we have in Grangemouth represents almost two decades of dedication and determination, supported by forward-thinking investors.

“Scottish Enterprise first backed us 16 years ago when we were conducting lab-scale research and has continued to provide support as we have grown and broken new ground. It shows real vision and belief in our potential.

“We are grateful to the Scottish Government for its commitment to encouraging innovation and supporting scale-up businesses like ours that are working towards a greener future. As Scotland works towards its 2045 net zero target we are helping that transition to a net zero, nature positive world through defossilisation.”

After touring the plant to see the work, Ms Forbes said: “Scotland has the talent, drive and natural resources to play an important global role in reaching net zero targets. This is an imperative for our planet but also, increasingly, a fundamental part of the country’s economic future.

“Celtic Renewables is a great example of what we can do when partners come together to innovate and invest.

“By combining innovation first developed at Napier University with public and private investment, the company has built a biorefinery which is showing how the move away from fossil fuels can create new, green jobs.

“Finding ways to deliver economic growth on a community by community basis, using the abundance of natural resources Scotland has to offer, is at the heart of my role in Scottish Government.”

A cross-party House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report has highlighted the need for urgent action to boost investment in engineering biology and support scale- up companies in biotechnology.

Celtic Renewables is attracting a lot of interest now that regular shipments of green chemicals are leaving the Grangemouth plant – strengthening the company’s determination to increase production and deploy its technology worldwide.

Adrian Gillespie, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise, said: “Celtic Renewables is a fantastic example of a home-grown success story that has gone from pioneering university research team to an exporting business planning its next stage of growth. Scottish Enterprise continues to support the company’s innovative approach to green chemicals production as it looks to the future.

“Industrial biotechnology is an industry in which Scotland has global strengths. By backing the bold ambitions of companies like Celtic Renewables we aim to transform Scotland’s economy, creating good quality, higher paid jobs across the country.”

The Deputy First Minister added: “When the Scottish Government published its Green Industrial Strategy last September, we recognised that the public and the private sectors need to work hand in hand to drive progress, with a shared commitment to success.

“And I’m glad to see we’ve been able to support Celtic Renewables through Scottish Enterprise with a third of the £60 million investment to develop its patented technology and reach the point of production. I was pleased to see a demonstration of how the company is using food waste to produce biofuels.

“Last year, the First Minister asked me to take on a cross-government leadership role as an investment champion – basically trying to ensure the investment we know exists and is looking for a home is matched with the opportunities and the potential which is there in abundance.

“I have spent recent months engaging with a number of sectors to do that and to encourage industry to bring forward the best projects in priority areas – projects that can impact regional economies and drive innovation.

“We are at the beginning. But with every investment, every partnership, every innovation – as we see at Celtic Renewables – we are creating a long term legacy for our national economy, but more importantly for our communities.”