This partnership will enable Britain’s Firefly Green Fuels’ innovative fuel production pathway to scale across the United States, with Synagro’s expertise as North America’s market leading provider of sustainable solutions for biosolids, organics and residuals.
BRISTOL, UK, and BALTIMORE, Maryland, US, July 23, 2024 – Firefly Green Fuels and Synagro Technologies, Inc. have partnered to bring Firefly’s novel fuel-production techniques to the American market. Synagro, the preeminent provider of sustainable solutions for biosolids, organics and residuals, has agreed to be the exclusive supplier of the biosolids feedstock used in Firefly’s innovative process.
Firefly has developed a unique process to turn biosolids into a product slate of highly sustainable, high-performance fuels, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The company uses a process known as hydrothermal liquefaction, which chemically alters the biosolids waste, breaking it down into biocrude and biochar. The crude is then upgraded into SAF, and the remaining biochar goes to various uses.
“We are extremely excited to work with Synagro on this next phase of Firefly’s development,” said James Hygate, Chief Executive Officer, Firefly Green Fuels. “There is a huge future need for SAF in North America, and by working together we can bring operations online quickly, creating new jobs and vast volumes of truly sustainable fuel.”
As outlined in its inaugural Sustainability Report, growing sustainably is at the heart of Synagro’s business and is central to their purpose as a company. Expanding into natural and innovative adjacencies is key to its growth as a business and its purpose to have a net positive impact on both people and the planet.
“This is a perfect partnership with monumental implications,” said Bob Preston, Synagro’s Chief Executive Officer. “We’re pairing Synagro’s expertise in sustainable solutions for biosolids, with Firefly’s SAF technology to evolve the circular economy.”
Independent analysis by Cranfield University has shown that Firefly’s SAF offers a highly significant 92% CO2e saving versus fossil jet fuel.
Kip Cleverley, Chief Sustainability Officer and Chief Communications Officer, Synagro, added, “Both of our companies’ commitments on sustainability run parallel. Combining our strengths will have a net positive and circular impact on the planet and its inhabitants. This is the future, and we’re both passionate about leading the way.”
The two companies are working together to prove out the technology in North America and secure additional participants. Firefly is currently building a first-of-a-kind facility in Harwich, England, and expects to expand into North America in the near future.
About Firefly Green Fuels
Firefly’s technology originated in the laboratories of Green Fuels, a pioneer in renewable fuels founded in 2003 and awarded a Royal Warrant of Appointment to the former HRH the Prince of Wales, now King Charles III. Firefly demonstrates an integrated technology route to SAF using biosolids as feedstock, addressing a market opportunity and unmet need. This route, once qualified to international standards, will make a significant contribution to the supply of SAF globally. The company is on a mission to fight climate change by transforming waste into truly sustainable fuel.
About Synagro
Founded in 1986, Synagro Technologies, Inc. works to turn waste into worth by helping more than 1,000 municipal, industrial water and wastewater facilities, and agricultural partners in North America move toward safer, cleaner and more environmentally beneficial practices. For some, it’s simply cleaning the water supply. For others, it’s much more – we partner with them to process their waste for compost or fertilizer pellets, creating healthy soil and avoiding carbon emissions in the process. As the largest recycler of biosolids, organics and residuals in North America, we are a trusted partner for sustainable solutions. Because we have the most experienced team in the industry, we can offer tailored solutions that ensure no waste goes to waste. Much of our work isn’t pretty. But it’s a greener world emerging from a cleaner one – worth coming from waste – and we think that’s pretty beautiful. Visit www.synagro.com to learn more.
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Contact:
Callum Stewart
Communications & PR Executive
callum@flyfirefly.uk
T: +44 7548 612 946
www.flyfirefly.uk
Kip Cleverley
Chief Sustainability Officer
& Chief Communications Officer
kcleverley@synagro.com
T: 800-370-0035