Supporting a Just Transition in Grangemouth: Building a Low-Carbon Future Through Job Creation

At Celtic Renewables, our patented and proven process converts by-products and waste from several industries including food, drink and agriculture into green chemicals – bio acetone, bio butanol, and bio ethanol.  

Founded in 2012 as a spin-out from Edinburgh Napier University, Celtic Renewables began at lab scale before scaling up to build Scotland’s first biorefinery in Grangemouth to re-invent the ABE fermentation process. Today we’re proud to be operating at full industrial and commercial scale, successfully shipping green chemicals to customers, and playing an integral role in Scotland’s growing bioeconomy. 

Supporting The Just Transition  

Celtic Renewables has grown to employ over 50 people across a wide range of disciplines including laboratory technicians, engineers, and manufacturing professionals. Many of the team members have transitioned from traditional sectors like oil and gas, supported by tailored training to help them thrive at Celtic Renewables.  

Amy Allen, Site Process Specialist, shares: 

“Transitioning from the petrochemical industry to a biotechnology company has been much easier than I expected. I was surprised at how easily transferable my skill set was to the biotech industry. I like that the work I do now contributes to a greener world and I am grateful to be part of such a great team. Developing new processes, and working with new technologies has been challenging, but also deeply rewarding.” 

Creating Opportunities in Grangemouth 

As sectors in the area face uncertainty, we are committed to offering employment opportunities through job creation and workforce development. In response to the impact of the Project Willow report and wider changes affecting the oil and gas industry, Celtic Renewables has established a re-deployment team and actively working with the local community to identify suitable roles for employees.  

As part of 2025 plans, and developing the workforce, Celtic Renewables is working with partners to introduce programmes to help with the transition and boost employment in the low-carbon sector: 

• Recruiting 2 Graduate Engineers 

• Offering 5 Modern Apprenticeships in collaboration with Forth Valley College 

• Providing internships through the Saltire programme and the IBIOIC across various departments  

Evolving and Empowering the Team 

As we scale, Celtic Renewables is committed to training the team and facilitating further career progression to support both the growth of employees and the company. Site Maintenance Lead, Colin Niblo, was internally promoted to craft out a new maintenance team at Celtic Renewables: 

“The transition into my new role was great. I was already handling some of the responsibilities temporarily, so I had a solid foundation before stepping in officially. One of the biggest challenges was building a structured maintenance department from scratch, but with the team’s support, we’ve made significant progress.  

The most rewarding part has been contributing to the growth of the Manufacturing team and seeing the camaraderie strengthen. This role has pushed me to develop my people management skills while balancing complex engineering challenges, and I’m focused on continuing to grow through further training in health, safety, and leadership.” 

Looking into the Future  

Our Grangemouth plant is a launchpad for expansion. With plans to build 4-5 biorefineries across the UK and Ireland, we aim to scale from 55 jobs to over 250 green biotech roles.  We’re committed to creating opportunities, building a skilled workforce, and supporting the transition to low-carbon jobs in Grangemouth and beyond. You can explore our open positions, including our apprenticeship programmes here.