A specialist company in converting animal waste into products for the renewable energy market has completed a new facility at the Port of Sunderland.
Leo Group, based in Halifax, has built a storage site at the Port, which will hold oil recycled from the firm’s Omega Protein plants across the UK. The multimillion-pound investment in the base will allow it to load large tankers with the oil which is then shipped around the world to be used in renewable energy generation, as well as in the process for making sustainable aviation fuel and HVO fuel, a type of renewable diesel.
The oil is a natural by-product of animal waste that Leo collects from food and agricultural businesses across the UK before processing at its sites in Yorkshire, Cumbia and northern Scotland. It is certified with the ISCC (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) label, which is used by the industry to distinguish between truly sustainable and unsustainable biomass fuels.
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Danny Sawrij, CEO of The Leo Group, said: “We are delighted that our terminal in Sunderland is now operational. It will serve as our main distribution centre for oil and secure our future exports to the EU and other markets around the world, which we expect to increase over time. As one of the UK’s leading animal by-products and renewable energy specialists, it is great that we are able to recycle 100% of all animal by-products at our sites and help reduce CO2 emissions with our products.
“A decade ago, you would have buried a dead sheep in the ground with the risk of contamination. Now we can convert the sheep into sustainable aviation fuel and electricity. That’s how far we’ve come.”
Matthew Hunt, director at Port of Sunderland, said: “Leo Group is the latest in a number of pioneering circular economy businesses to have announced a major investment at the Port of Sunderland and we’re absolutely delighted that its state-of-the-art export facility here in our Port is now ready to start shipping operations to overseas markets. The need for countries the world-over to transition to Net Zero societies has led to soaring demand for clean biofuels such as those produced by Leo Group and we are delighted that the port will play a key role in the growth of the business as it continues to expand its global presence.”
The latest addition to the Port of Sunderland follows comments from bosses that a diversification strategy has paid off for the operator. Earlier this month Mr Hunt said the setting up of Brineflow’s liquid fertiliser terminal at the Port has boosted revenues at a time when the conflict in Ukraine has seriously impacted the global ports and logistics sectors.
Original artice – https://business-live.co.uk/all-about/yorkshire-humber
