• With the collapse of the UK bioethanol market and major impacts on the vital CO₂ supply chain, Bio Capital will produce ‘food grade’ CO₂ from its state-of-the art Granville Eco Park facility.
• Bio Capital is one of the first companies in the UK to produce ‘food grade’ CO₂ from the anaerobic digestion of food waste.
• Bio Capital will also produce ‘food grade’ CO₂ from its Corbiere facility in Norfolk and, in total, bring 15,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year to the market.
• The move represents a significant investment from Bio Capital and a milestone in the supply of renewable and sustainable CO₂ at a time of crisis in the market.

Bio Capital will produce carbon dioxide (CO₂) from our Granville Eco Park anaerobic digestion (AD) facility in Dungannon, Northern Ireland. One of the first companies in the UK to produce ‘food grade’ CO₂ from the anaerobic digestion of food waste, this marks a major milestone for the AD sector, the supply of renewable CO₂, and the journey towards a circular economy.

Additionally, we’ll also produce ‘food grade’ CO₂ from agri feedstock at our Corbiere Renewables facility in Norfolk, and, in total, will bring 15,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year to the market.

The move represents a significant investment and comes at a time when the UK bioethanol market is in turmoil in the face of two major plant closures. With one plant closed and a second closure imminent, this is having a major impact on the UK’s vital supply of CO₂ of which up to 80 percent was provided by the two plants.

AD naturally produces a biogas mixture of approximately 50-70% methane and 30-50% CO₂. While the methane is already repurposed to produce renewable electricity, green gas to the grid and fuel vehicles, the new state-of-the-art CO₂ recovery systems allow us to capture and repurpose the carbon portion.

Through further refinement on site, the captured CO₂ can then be certified as ‘food grade’, meeting the highest quality standards set by agencies like the EIGA (European Industrial Gases Association) and achieving purity levels of 99.9%.

The CO₂ will then re-enter the market and has multiple applications in the food and beverage sector, as well as within the horticulture, refrigeration and manufacturing industries.  

David McKee, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Bio Capital, said: “Bio Capital is a pioneer in the AD sector, and we are proud to be realising a new milestone in the supply of renewable CO₂. This is the circular economy in action and the investment we’ve made at our plants in Northern Ireland and England is coming to fruition at a time when the UK is facing a major shortfall in domestic CO₂ production. Bio Capital is then able to offer a sustainable and reliable supply of ‘food grade’ CO₂ at a crucial time for the market.”

Our Eco Park is the largest facility of its kind in Northern Ireland, and in partnership with Granville Energy Supply, is an exemplar of the AD circular model. With a 90,000-tonne food waste capacity, the plant operates 24/7 and is a cornerstone for scale and reliability, thereby enabling Bio Capital to produce consistent and reliable supplies of CO₂.

Our Corbiere Renewables facility is located on the Raynham Farm Estate, in Norfolk, who supply agri feedstock directly to the plant and receive biofertiliser in return to increase crop yield and reduce their reliance on chemical fertiliser by up to 50%. The dependable supply of feedstock from the estate will ensure a reliable supply of CO₂.