Making green chemicals from premium whisky

Scottish green chemical producer Celtic Renewables has renewed its partnership with the independent ultra premium whisky distillery Rosebank, part of Ian Macleod Distillers, for another three years.

The partnership will see Rosebank Distillery in Falkirk send the pot ale by-product produced during its distilling process to the Celtic Renewables biorefinery located less than four miles away at Grangemouth.

The new agreement extends the existing three year partnership between the companies, during which Celtic Renewables received over 4600 tonnes of whisky by-product from the few thousand casks created in the production of the reawakened Rosebank spirit.

Celtic Renewables uses pot ale as a feedstock to produce 500 tonnes of bio based chemicals annually at its commercial demonstrator facility. Using pot ale extracts value from the whisky by-products and reduces the amount sent to animal feed or anaerobic digestion, the process by which organic material is broken down into CO2 and methane.

The bio based chemicals that Celtic produces are chemically equivalent to fossil based chemicals and can be used in the manufacturing of thousands of everyday consumer goods – everything from skin moisturisers and household cleaning products to paint and bike tyres.

With the pot ale supplied by Rosebank, Celtic Renewables can produce green chemicals that generate over 60% carbon savings when compared to their fossil based counterparts, using a circular process that repurposes residues from distilling whisky instead of using fossil fuels.

The innovative process allows consumer goods firms and manufacturers to partly defossilise their supply chain and cut their indirect Scope 3 emissions.

Ian Macleod Distillers’ partnership with Celtic is one part of the company’s wider commitment to sustainability for its entire portfolio of distilleries across Scotland.

Other measures include exploring renewable energy with a carbon neutral distillery operation at its Edinburgh Gin distillery: the creation of wetlands at the Glengoyne Distillery estate: wildlife protection measures at Tamdhu, Speyside: and support from two important environmental charities.

The ongoing relationship between the two firms is testament to the Grangemouth area’s commitment to the net zero transition, creating a truly circular economy, and bolstering the region’s low carbon industry.

Bettina Brierley, chief commercial officer at Celtic Renewables, said: ‘Ongoing local partnerships like the one we have with Rosebank are the foundation for Scotland’s low carbon green economy.

‘With over four million tonnes of pot ale and stillage produced in Scotland annually, our efforts in Grangemouth are just the beginning, and the room for growth in the low carbon industry is huge.

‘Our work with Rosebank Distillery showcases the ability of companies to work together in innovative ways at local and regional level for a more sustainable circular way of life – a blueprint for the future green economy.’

Neil Bulloch, distillery manager at Rosebank Distillery, said: ‘Working with Celtic Renewables to take the pot ale by-product from Rosebank and create natural bio chemicals for household use is part of our broader plan to sustainably manage our solid and liquid waste across our distilleries and to reduce the environmental impact of our operations.

‘The proximity of Grangemouth to the Rosebank Distillery in Falkirk also reduces the impact of transportation and supports our local community in Falkirk.’

Picture credits: Ian Macleod Distillers and Celtic Renewables.