Circa to build Cyrene facility

Oslo-based biotech Circa Group has signed an agreement with French energy producer GazelEnergie. Under this, it will repurpose the former Emile Huchet coal-fired power station site, adjacent to the Carling Saint-Avold platform in north-eastern France, to make its Cyrene brand of renewable solvent at commercial scale.

The plant, which is scheduled to be commissioned in 1H 2023, will use Circa’s Furacell process. This converts non-food biomass waste into bio-based chemicals, including Cyrene, which can replace traditional, toxic, fossil-based solvents such as NMP, DMF, DCM and DMSO

This is all part of the Flagship EU project ReSolute, which Circa leads. The company received a grant under EU Horizon 2020 Flagship Grant, in part to fund the design, commissioning and operation of a plant to make grenner solvents. It is also part of a wider green reindustrialisation GazelEnergie plans for the site, including renewable heat and green hydrogen production.