HutanBio’s HBx Energy Platform entering commercial deployment with three pilot trials

In the UK, HutanBio’s HBx Energy Platform is entering its next phase — commercial deployment—accelerating the move from pilot-scale trials to large-scale installations, with the first-of-a-kind (FOAK) 3–5 hectare desert facility scheduled to break ground in 2026. This project will demonstrate how HutanBio’s innovative microalgal bio-oil can be produced at costs comparable to used cooking oil while delivering significant carbon-negative performance.

HutanBio’s breakthrough technology was recently validated by an independent ISO-compliant lifecycle assessment, confirming that HBx bio-oil achieves net-negative carbon emissions — removing more CO₂ during production than it emits. Operating on seawater and non-arable desert land, the automated and modular energy platform avoids competition with food or freshwater resources, achieving yields up to ten times greater than traditional biofuel systems.

To ensure transparency and accountability, HutanBio commissioned sustainability consultancy EcoAct (part of Schneider Electric Sustainability Business) to conduct a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) analysis of the HBx Bio-Oil. The findings reinforce the platform’s potential to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors such as shipping, aviation, and heavy transport.