Verta Bioenergy to boost biomass output to meet surging demand

It has received early orders from major Philippine companies.

Verta Bioenergy Pte. Ltd. is ramping up production of clean industrial fuel in Southeast Asia by converting agricultural and livestock waste into biomass pellets amidst rising demand for sustainable energy alternatives.

The Singapore startup collects materials such as rice husks, chicken manure, and coconut shells from farms and processes them into pellets using its proprietary drying and blending technology. “We then get all the necessary accreditations and safety clearances done,” CEO Jeremy Tan told Singapore Business Review via Zoom.

The firm sells its biofuel to industries in the Philippines — including food and beverage, cement, paper, and power — as a direct, drop-in replacement for coal.

“By conducting research and development on abundant local agri-waste to create a drop-in replacement fuel, we ensure customers don’t have to invest in new infrastructure,” Chief Operating Officer and co-founder Timothy Khor said in the same Zoom call.

Verta has raised more than $1.1m in funding from investors, including French energy giant Engie SA, Singaporean venture capital firms Wright Partners Ventures Pte. Ltd. and Alpha Gen Venture Capital Pte. Ltd., and an angel investor from the Manila Angel Investors Network, Inc.

Tan said the company has secured letters of intent and early purchase orders from big Philippine companies such as Universal Robina Corp. and Monde Nissin Corp., as more businesses pursue decarbonization targets. Most alternatives to coal are either too expensive or not scalable, he pointed out.

The company plans to scale up production through its own facilities and partnerships to meet surging demand. Khor said Verta is also deploying its patent-pending drying technology at centralised waste collection hubs near farms to process materials more efficiently.

By investing in research and development and integration, the company could process difficult waste into cost-effective fuel at scale, Tan said. “Our proprietary technology and farm partnerships give us a unique advantage that is difficult to replicate.”

Khor said community engagement remains central to Verta’s operations. “Our dedicated team is deeply embedded within the local community,” he added.