• Swindon & Wiltshire Eco
• Tuesday July 15 2025

Plans for UK’s first synthetic fuel energy park filed

Plans for the UK’s first synthetic fuel energy park have been submitted to Swindon Borough Council.

Rivan Industries wants to set up the country’s first commercial-scale plant to produce methane gas on a greenfield site to the north of Blunsdon.

Located north of Blunsdon and southeast of Cricklade, Little Rose Lane Energy Park will generate up to 3,630 MWh per year – enough to power a small-to-medium-size factory – and displace 6,600 tonnes of CO2 per year, equivalent to planting 110,000 trees.

Consisting of 15 shipping containers, the plant will be powered by a field of solar panels to produce renewable synthetic methane gas from limestone, water and electricity.

Rivan says the proposals will deliver a biodiversity net gain, including a 60 per cent increase in habitats and a 10 per cent uplift in hedgerow units, supported by new grassland planting and the installation of bat and bird boxes.

Little Rose Lane Energy Park will deliver a Community Benefit Fund of up to £30,000 to support the local community and deliver social value for residents, and provide annual business rates to Swindon Borough Council, supporting local services and infrastructure across the borough.

Changes have been made to the original proposal following a public consultation exercise.

• The layout has been re-designed to help reduce potential noise and visually break up the solar array, making it blend in with the landscape.
• The size of archaeological buffer zones have been increased, and Rivan has added a third exclusion zone to better protect below-ground features.
• 250 metres of new hedgerow will be planted within the fenced boundary to secure wildlife habitat and help screen the site from view.

Harvey Hodd, founder & CEO of Rivan Industries said: “The submission of our application for Little Rose Lane Energy Park marks an important milestone in Rivan’s pioneering journey to decarbonise heavy industry and secure a fossil-free future.

We’re planning to build the UK’s first commercial-scale synthetic fuel facility, using renewable energy to pull carbon dioxide from the air and turn it into clean gas. This helps cut emissions on two fronts: by removing CO₂ from the atmosphere and by replacing fossil fuels with a cleaner alternative. It’s a big step toward a net zero UK.

We are proud to be developing this groundbreaking technology here in Swindon and look forward to working with the community, businesses, and the council to secure meaningful progress toward a greener world.”

Latest: Swindon named ‘clean energy hub’ in major new report