Renovare Fuels announced that it will setup a £9m County Derry plant in Northern Ireland on a landfill site in collaboration with NASA and the US Department of Energy to produce biofuels.
The company said the joint UK and EU operation in Craigmore will create up to 2m litres of sustainable fuel. The UK-based company plans transform biogas into liquid fuels such as diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
“Renovare Fuels are delighted to be commencing operations in Northern Ireland. This crucial investment will ensure we play a leading role in creating a sustainable future for the transport sector. As we work to meet our global climate goals, we have an exciting opportunity to scale up the UK’s production of renewable fuels, producing more than 1.8m litres per year in Northern Ireland to support the industries that face the largest barriers to the net zero transition,” said Matthew Stone, chairman, Renovare Fuels.
The County Derry site, developed in collaboration with renewable energy operator B9 Energy Control Limited and UK biogas company Powerhouse Management Ltd, will open in 2024.
The Renovare Fuels technology is designed to obtain the biogas via slotting gas extraction technology fitted directly onto Craigmore Landfill site at the facility. Using two catalyst technologies, with advanced process engineering, the company says it will convert biogas to middle distillate fuels.
Developed in collaboration with sister company T2C Energy, NASA and the US Department for Energy, the biofuel is claimed to be able to cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 97%.
According to Renovare Fuels, the 97% reduction in emissions comes from a comprehensive analysis of the fuel’s entire lifecycle. The figure is primarily attributed to two factors: the efficient conversion of biogas – which utilises nearly 100% as a feedstock – and the integration of CO2 into the fuel’s composition. The latter is significant since CO2 constitutes nearly 40-50% of biogas.
In 2022, the transport sector accounted for up to 25% of the UK’s total emissions.
Simultaneously, the government estimates that 32m tonnes of biodegradable waste are generated each year – enough to produce up to 2bn litres of biofuels each year.
