G-NRGY develops containerised plastic-to-fuel system in Shetland.
A Shetland-based company has completed early trials of a new containerised technology for converting mixed plastic waste into biofuel, with ambitions to scale up for both land-based and marine applications.
G-NRGY, headquartered in Lerwick, has been piloting the system locally using a range of plastic materials commonly found across island communities. These include glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) from decommissioned wind turbine blades, subsea mooring lines, HDPE components used in the aquaculture industry, as well as fishing nets, salmon nets, and retail plastic waste.
According to the company, these materials would typically be sent to landfill in Shetland or shipped to the Scottish mainland for disposal—often ending up in landfill sites elsewhere. The new system aims to reduce the associated costs and emissions by processing the material locally and converting it into a usable energy product.
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The company believes the approach could significantly reduce the carbon footprint linked to plastic waste handling in remote and coastal communities. “The system allows for decentralised conversion of hard-to-recycle plastic into biofuel or energy, which can then be used locally. This avoids both landfill charges and the emissions associated with transporting waste over long distances,” G-NRGY stated.
The technology has undergone a Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) using the standardised Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale originally developed by NASA and now widely used across the European Union. According to the company, the system has been rated at TRL 7, which corresponds to a prototype system demonstrated in an operational environment.
G-NRGY says the system has potential value beyond Shetland and Scotland, particularly in regions looking to reduce reliance on landfill or improve their waste-to-energy capabilities. The company notes that the technology could support compliance with waste management standards in Scandinavia, including Norwegian standard NS-EN 17988 and SN-CEN/TS 18101, both of which relate to the treatment and reuse of plastic and composite materials.
The firm is currently working with engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors, as well as academic institutions in the UK and Scandinavia, to further develop the system and explore commercial deployment. The longer-term goal is to establish a scalable platform that can be exported to other island and coastal regions, including offshore installations where space and waste handling remain logistical challenges.
G-NRGY is also participating in Project 14: Co-conversion of Plastic and Biomass – Turquoise Hydrogen, an initiative focused on combining plastic waste and biomass to generate lower-carbon hydrogen. A proof-of-concept demonstration is scheduled for the third quarter of 2025.