Cognis Makes Cornerstone Investment in Advanced Biofuel Solutions

Monday, September 2, 2019

Cognis has acquired an interest in a ground breaking gas-plasma waste to energy technology and demonstration plant through a cornerstone investment in Advanced Biofuel Solutions Limited (ABSL).

The demonstration facility, based in Swindon, will convert 8,000 tonnes per year of household waste into 2.2 million cubic metres of natural gas, enough to heat 1,800 homes or fuel 75 HGVs. It will be the first plant in the world to convert waste into grid quality natural gas. Waste collected from local homes is shredded and the recyclable material, such as metal, is removed. As an alternative to landfill or being incinerated, this prepared waste will be converted into natural gas and carbon dioxide by ABSL’s patented technology.  The natural gas is injected into the grid and the carbon dioxide is liquified and used by the industry.  The Technology will play a transformative role in decarbonising heat and transport and help reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.

The shareholders of ABSL, together with support from The Department of Transport and Cadent, have committed £10 million to complete the construction of the plant and will bring it into service during the second half of 2020.

This investment represents an opportunistic value play, following the exhaustion of funding from incumbent venture investors as the development of the technology to date had taken significantly longer and cost significantly more than initially projected.

Simon Jones, a partner at Cognis, has been appointed as a non-executive director of ABSL and  believes that the completion of the demonstration plant will act as catalyst for licensing ABSL's unique technology for full scale plants in the UK and around the world.