Project Willow: Grangemouth investment opportunities
An opportunity to invest in a new low-carbon manufacturing hub in Scotland's premier industrial location.
Grangemouth's economic transformation
Grangemouth has long been one of Scotland's leading industrial locations, with over a century of experience in petrochemical refining and manufacturing.
The site and its surrounding area are currently undergoing an economic transformation – developing into a world-class manufacturing hub for low carbon, sustainable fuels, and fine chemicals.
Grangemouth is poised to play an important role in Scotland's journey to net zero, helping decarbonise industry while continuing to support and encourage new economic growth – and it's currently seeking investors and industrial partners to make this new future a reality.
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Project Willow
There are many different opportunities for investment at Grangemouth. Project Willow was commissioned by Petroineos and funded by both the UK and Scottish governments.
Its goal was to evaluate Grangemouth's potential in-depth and highlight areas for investment that will help create a sustainable future for the site.
After extensive research, the project identified nine key investment areas within the categories of wastes, bio-feedstock, and support for off-shore wind.
You can find more information on these investment opportunities in a new report that's available to download as a PDF (2.96 MB).
Potential outcomes
Project Willow presents a unique opportunity for industry and government to collaborate and transform the industrial cluster at Grangemouth. By 2040, the project will help to:
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Create direct operational jobs
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Contribute to annual gross value added (GVA)
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Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Project Willow could lead to the creation of up to 800 jobs as a base figure, or up to 1200 with growth.
The annual total GVA contribution could range from £600-700 million at base, to as much as £1-2 billion with growth.
Greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by 3.5-6 million tonnes each year.
New opportunities for investment
The Scottish Government, UK Government, the Office for Investment, and Scottish Enterprise are working together as part of a Grangemouth Investment Team to develop a cohesive plan to attract new investment and create long-term development for the area.
Scottish Enterprise is also developing a cluster strategy that will co-ordinate investment, innovation, and infrastructure across the entire site.
With a number of projects already live and new investment on the way, the process heralds a new future for the area. To support this, we’re looking for investors and ambitious businesses interested in Grangemouth, including:
- Developers and technology providers
- Investors
- Feedstock suppliers
- Corporate partners and offtakers
The Investment Team is eager to speak to investors and companies interested in collaborating in the priority areas identified in Project Willow, as well as other opportunities across the Grangemouth site.
Key investment areas
- Hydrothermal upgrading – breaking down hard-to-recycle plastics to produce pyrolysis oil
- Chemical plastics recycling – using chemicals to break down plastics and return them to a virgin state
- ABE biorefining – bacterial fermentation of carbohydrate-rich waste material
- Second generation bioethanol – breaking down and fermenting Scottish timber into bioethanol
- Anaerobic digestion – fermentation of organic waste and biogas upgrading to produce biomethane
- Hydrogenated esters and fatty acids (HEFA) – converting Scottish cover crops into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel (RD) using low-carbon hydrogen
- Fuel switching – replacing natural gas combustion with low-carbon hydrogen
- E-methanol and methanol to jet – using low-carbon hydrogen to produce methanol and convert it to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)
- E-ammonia – producing low-carbon ammonia from hydrogen for shipping
Grangemouth industrial site and port
Benefits of the Grangemouth industrial site
Already home to world-leading companies such as Syngenta, Piramal, Celtic Renewables, and Ineos, the Grangemouth industrial cluster has much to offer companies and investors.
The site offers:
- Extensive industrial and commercial space
- World-class facilities
- Existing energy infrastructure assets
- A highly skilled workforce
- Excellent transport connections by rail, air, and motorway
- Access to the Forth Green Freeport
- Proximity to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and other locations in the central belt
- A strong talent pipeline through connections with nearby universities
- Opportunities to collaborate with researchers and academics at Scotland's world-leading universities and innovation centres
With the right investment and development, Grangemouth has the potential to become the powerhouse of Scotland’s energy transition.
Want to find out more about investment opportunities in Grangemouth?
Disclaimer
Whereas every effort has been made to ensure that the information in these pages is accurate, Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International do not accept any liability for errors, omissions or misleading statements. And no warranty is given, or responsibility accepted as to the standing of any individual, firm, company or other organisation mentioned. Investors will need to undertake their own due diligence in conjunction with individual project promoters/sponsors in relation to the detailed project investment opportunities presented.