A feasibility study has set out nine options for its future of the Grangemouth site following the recent decision by Petroineos to decommission the oil refinery . A ‘Grangemouth Investment Team’, comprising the Scottish Government, UK Government, the Office for Investment and Scottish Enterprise, has invited interested companies to open discussions on potential projects. The UK government has promised £200 million in investment at the site while the Scottish Government has promised £25 million. Scottish Enterprise is also developing a cluster strategy that will co-ordinate investment, innovation, and infrastructure across the entire site.
The study, produced by EY and dubbed Project Willow, explored how the site can build on its skilled workforce, local expertise and heritage to forge a new path in low carbon energy production.
The Investmemnt Team said it was looking for investors and ambitious businesses interested in Grangemouth, including developers and technology providers, investors, feedstock suppliers, corporate partners and offtakers
The identified options are:

• 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 – converting Scottish cover crops into sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel 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
• E-ammonia – producing low-carbon ammonia from hydrogen for shipping