Allen Associates will carry out the front-end engineering design (FEED) study based upon the design work completed by Celtic’s engineering team for the new commercial scale biorefinery that the company intends to build in Grangemouth. The capacity of the new facility will be 10 times that of the company’s current demonstrator plant.
The seven-month study will further develop Celtic’s existing plans for the proposed facility. It will provide an improved cost estimate accuracy (+/-10%), secure the basis for the overall project schedule, and set out the project execution plan for the detailed design and construction phases. The details from the FEED will also provide verification of the associated business model, including projected revenues.
Celtic Renewables, CEO Mark Simmers, commented: “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. The team at Allen Associates have a wealth of experience in related industry sectors and an expert eye for the detail required for the design of this type of facility. The deliverables from this FEED will give us and our investors the certainty required for the delivery of the subsequent project phases. When built, our new biorefinery at Grangemouth will be Celtic Renewables’ first world-scale commercial facility. It will provide the blueprint for future green chemical production facilities, both here in the UK and in other markets around the world.”
Scott Allen, Managing Director at Allen Associates, added: “Allen Associates and Celtic Renewables are examples of two successful Scottish businesses that create homegrown jobs, develop homegrown talent, and draw upon local supply chains. This partnership is built on our complementary areas of expertise along with the geographical closeness of our two companies. Our proposed new facility is a cornerstone of the Scottish and UK Government’s plans to deliver an inclusive, long-term just transition for the Grangemouth area, so that it can move forward from its refining and petrochemical heritage and become a hub for Scotland’s burgeoning green economy that brings with it new high-value jobs.”