Business Brief

Public consultation opens for Swindon’s first synthetic fuel energy park

By Jamie Hill - 4 April 2025

Business

Rivan Industries has today launched a public consultation on proposals for Little Rose Lane Energy Park, an innovative clean energy project that would create synthetic fuel by capturing carbon from the air and combining it with green hydrogen produced using solar energy.

The proposed site, located just north of Blunsdon and southeast of Cricklade, will produce a fossil-free gas that can be injected directly into the UK’s existing energy grid with no need for fuel deliveries, no long-distance shipping, and carefully managed road use to minimise local traffic impacts. It’s a new way of making fuel: powered by the sun, using minimal land, and creating no net increase in CO2 - because the carbon released when the fuel is used is the same carbon captured from the air to make it.

“The challenge is global, but the solution starts local,” said Harvey Hodd, Founder & CEO of Rivan Industries. “At Little Rose Lane, we’re turning carbon from the air into clean, usable fuel and proving that net zero can be practical, affordable, and community-powered.”

How it works

This isn’t your typical solar farm. The project would combine:

? Up to 15 megawatts (MW) of solar power, generated on-site

? Up to 10 synthetic fuel generators, powered entirely by renewable energy

? Clean fuel injection into the gas grid, replacing fossil-based gas

The process captures carbon dioxide from the air and combines it with green hydrogen to create a synthetic gas that works just like natural gas, but without adding new CO2 to the atmosphere. Because everything happens on-site, there’s no need for fuel deliveries or long-distance transport, helping to minimise potential disruption and keep local traffic impacts low.

Why it matters to Swindon

Heavy industries like steel, cement, shipping, and aviation still rely on energy dense fuels - and most renewable energy solutions can’t reach them. By developing synthetic fuels that work with existing infrastructure, Swindon can lead the way in decarbonising these critical sectors.

The technology behind the project was developed in Swindon and is already being trialled at the Science and Innovation Park near Wroughton. That pilot facility is due to go live in the coming months, and Rivan Industries sees Little Rose Lane Energy Parkas the next step in scaling a homegrown solution with global potential.

Rivan is working to ensure that local wildlife, habitats, and tranquillity are protected as the project progresses. Consultation feedback will directly inform how the site is designed, built, and managed, including measures to minimise noise, protect biodiversity, and keep traffic impacts low.

Have Your Say – Public Consultation Now Open

The public consultation will run from Wednesday 2 April to Thursday 1 May 2025, and includes an in-person drop-in event at:

Highworth Community Centre (Rooms 9/10)
The Dormers, Highworth, Wiltshire, SN6 7PE
Thursday 24 April, 3:00pm – 7:30pm

All local residents, community groups, and stakeholders are warmly invited to attend, ask questions, and share their feedback.

Subject to planning approval, Rivan Industries intends to establish a community benefit fund to support local projects, groups, and initiatives. Feedback on how this could best serve the area is welcome as part of the consultation process.