UK duo to develop 420GWh seaweed biomethane facility
The facility is expected to produce up to 420GWh of renewable gas annually, with commercial operations currently scheduled to begin in 2028. The development will be delivered in two phases: the first will focus on producing biomethane for injection into the gas grid, while the second will introduce renewable fuel production, enabling the opportunities to optimise between biomethane and renewable fuels. Once fully developed, the project is expected to become one of the largest renewable gas and renewable fuels facilities in the UK. Under the agreement, SmartestEnergy will act as offtaker for the biomethane and exclusively market the RGGOs and other environmental products from the facility.
The agreement was developed by SmartestEnergy’s origination, structuring and environmental products teams, and highlights the company’s role in bringing low-carbon infrastructure projects to market. SmartestEnergy will provide the commercial route to market for the project, alongside optimisation and environmental products expertise, as it moves towards commercial operation and beyond.
A distinctive feature of the project is Zenco’s approach to feedstock. The facility will use established anaerobic digestion (AD) technology, with Zenco’s sustainability cultivated, seaweed-based feedstock integrated as cultivation scales. It is scheduled to become the first AD plant to run fully on this feedstock. Grown at sea, seaweed does not compete with food crops for land or fresh water, offering a potential solution to some of the challenges associated with scaling up bioenergy production in the UK.
Category: Fuels
