According to the company’s website press release on October 5, 2022, px Group, the leading infrastructure solutions business and operator of several critical UK energy sites, can announce that it has been appointed as Operator at GIDARA Energy’s flagship Bio-Methanol plant in Amsterdam.
The plant, plans for which were revealed last year by GIDARA Energy and is due to become operational in 2024, is GIDARA Energy’s advanced biofuels facility and will convert non-recyclable waste into advanced methanol. The plant is known as Advanced Methanol Amsterdam (“AMA”) and is located in the BioPark, an industrial location in the Port of Amsterdam developed especially for producers of renewable fuels.
Advanced Methanol Amsterdam will produce Bio-Methanol that creates significant carbon savings compared to fossil-based fuels. Advanced methanol is a versatile renewable transportation fuel that, amongst others, can be used in the road transport, marine and aviation sectors, helping these sectors to reduce their carbon emissions and become more sustainable.
Operators
px Group has previously supported GIDARA Energy in the FEED (Front End Engineering Design) phase of the project. It will ultimately take on the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of the AMA plant, proving its capabilities across whole project lifecycles.
With the potential for an expanded scope in the future, px Group will initially be:
- Supporting GIDARA Energy during the construction of the plant
- Supporting the start-up and commissioning of the facility
- Managing the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of the facility following handover
- Taking on responsibility for recruiting and managing more than 50 full-time staff in Amsterdam
px Group has also registered a Dutch entity, px Netherlands BV, for this project and anticipated future project work with GIDARA at other key industrial locations in the Netherlands.
Neil Grimley, px Group’s Managing Director of GIDARA Projects, comments: “I’m looking forward to continuing what is now an extremely close relationship with GIDARA. Px Group have already been working with them on the ground in the Netherlands through the FEED stage, and px Group will now be taking on even more responsibility in the coming months.”
Private Equity Influence
Both px Group and GIDARA Energy are backed by Ara Partners, a private equity company that specialises in investing in businesses, technology, and assets that have the ability or potential to cut carbon emissions in the industrial sectors significantly.
Ara Partners acquired px Group in 2021. GIDARA Energy was founded in 2019 as a joint venture between Ara and G.I. Dynamics.
Commenting on the influence of Ara Partners on the partnership between px Group and GIDARA. Geoff Holmes, CEO of px Group, adds: “This partnership between px Group and GIDARA shows some real-world benefits of private equity ownership – Ara’s industry-wide connections, expert knowledge of the market, and commitment to the energy transition have opened so many doors for px Group. It has only been twelve months since Ara’s investment, and px Group are already seeing accelerated growth in operations both in the UK and internationally.”
Raf Stout, Chief Operating Officer at GIDARA Energy, says: “I am pleased to announce that px will be the company’s partner to Operate and Maintain the company’s flagship waste to bio-fuel plant in Amsterdam. px Group has a proven track record of Safe and Reliable operations of multiple gas and power facilities and has experience in flawless start-up of new bio-fuels facilities. px has already provided valuable support during the FEED phase, and I look forward to working with them to prepare for the successful start-up and operations of the Advanced Methanol Amsterdam facility. px Group share the same vision and clear plans to grow sustainable manufacturing to support the energy transition.”
