Climate solutions: abrdn reaches financial close on greenfield anaerobic digestion plant in the UK

abrdn Global Sustainable Infrastructure Partners IV LP (“aGSIP”) and The Circular Economy Development Ltd (“TCED”) has reached financial close on a greenfield anaerobic digestion plant (“the Project”).  It is an initiative which seeks to remove landfill waste and produce renewable energy while removing CO2 emissions from the conversion process.

The Project is located in Deeside on the England-Wales border, on a well-connected industrial park with 40km south of Liverpool. It will include the design, build, own, operate, maintain and finance of a state-of-the-art anaerobic digestion facility which will produce biogas from food waste through widely used and well tested anaerobic digestion technologies. The total cost of the Project exceeds £60 million, with construction commencing in Q3 2024 and commercial operations planned to begin in late 2026.

When online, the Project is set to convert approximately 120,000 tons of food waste annually into gas. Utilising a gas upgrader around 180 MWh of biomethane will be extracted and injected into the grid; while purified CO2 will be separated and liquified ahead of its sale. A portion of this biomethane will be utilised to generate approximately 5MW of green electricity via a combined heat and power unit.

Olivier Rossi, Director, abrdn, said: “This is a sector that we know well, with strong long-term fundamentals that also supports the energy transition and helps our investors achieve their goals. We are excited to be able to develop an exceptional asset with such a strong environmental focus.

abrdn’s Concession Infrastructure business, a long-term investor in infrastructure projects across the globe, is committed in supporting investments that focus on sustainability and mitigating the effects of climate change.”

The project has been invested from aGSIP IV, abrdn Concession Infrastructure’s fourteenth infrastructure fund to be raised and the fourth in abrdn’s global infrastructure fund series. The abrdn Concession Infrastructure team manage a portfolio of infrastructure assets in Europe, the Americas and Australia. abrdn Concession Infrastructure employs over 30 investment professionals in 8 offices around the world and has been operating for over 20 years.

TCED’s Role and Vision for the Deeside Project

The Deeside project is a key milestone for TCED, a company whose unique selling proposition is decarbonising high-energy users by developing a fleet of carbon-negative renewable energy plants. By converting food waste into renewable energy and green fertiliser, this facility will play a crucial role in reducing emissions and supporting the UK’s transition to a circular economy.

Mac Andrade, CEO at TCED, commented: “The Deeside project exemplifies our commitment to building a sustainable future by developing carbon-negative facilities that not only generate renewable energy but also contribute to reducing CO2 emissions. This project represents a crucial step in our mission to decarbonise high-energy users, and we look forward to seeing the positive environmental and economic impacts it will create.”

Ends

Media enquiries 

Jemma Jackson

Head of Campaigns and Media, abrdn

Jemma.jackson@abrdn.com

07776 204 610

Rachel Cashmore

Senior Media Relations Manager, abrdn

Rachel.Cashmore@abrdn.com

0734 170 3358

Notes to editors

About abrdn

• abrdn is a global investment company that helps clients and customers plan, save and invest for the future. Our purpose is to enable our clients to be better investors. 
• abrdn manages and administers £505.9bn of assets for clients (as at 30 June 2024).
• Our strategy is to deliver client-led growth. We are structured around three businesses – Investments, Adviser and Personal – focused on their changing needs.
• The capabilities in our Investments business are built on the strength of our insight – generated from wide-ranging research, worldwide investment expertise and local market knowledge.
• Our teams collaborate across regions, asset classes and specialisms, connecting diverse perspectives and working with clients to identify investment opportunities that suit their needs.
• As at 30 June 2024, our Investments business manages £369.3bn on behalf of clients - including insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, independent wealth managers, pension funds, platforms, banks and family offices.