Celtic Renewables receives £7m to develop bio-based solvents
pharmafile | May 14, 2026 | News story | Manufacturing and Production | Celtic Renewables
Scottish green chemicals company Celtic Renewables is part of a consortium that has secured £7m in funding to support development of pharmaceutical-grade bio-based solvents aimed at reducing emissions linked to medicine manufacturing.
The consortium, established by innovation funding specialist Ayming and sustainability consultancy ERM, will operate over 36 months and focus on refining bio-based solvents capable of meeting the purity standards required for pharmaceutical production.
Solvents are widely used in medicine manufacturing and contribute significantly to Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions across pharmaceutical supply chains. However, wider adoption of bio-based alternatives has been limited by production costs and technical requirements.
The project aims to address these challenges through use of membrane purification technologies designed to industrialise solvent production without requiring major changes to existing manufacturing infrastructure.
Funding has been provided through Innovate UK and the Department of Health and Social Care as part of the Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Programme.
Bettina Brierley, Chief Commercial Officer at Celtic Renewables, said: “Currently, fossil-based solvents are used in a range of pharmaceutical applications, including as active ingredients in pharmaceutical manufacturing, as reagents, and in high-precision laboratory cleaning.”
Yet, she outlined, pharmaceutical manufacturers were facing increasing pressure to reduce fossil fuel use and lower indirect emissions within supply chains.
She added that suppliers risked losing contracts if they failed to meet sustainability targets linked to NHS net zero commitments.
The consortium includes pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers and research organisations including AstraZeneca, GSK, Croda, Cytiva, CPI and Queen Mary University London.
The organisations involved said the programme is intended to support more sustainable manufacturing approaches while maintaining the quality standards required for pharmaceutical production.
Related Content
Celtic Renewables pushes for use of bio-based materials in pharma industry
The company produces low-carbon, sustainable bio-based chemicals
