Homes across Ireland are warming to Harvest Flame, the sustainable heating solution. In 2024, Arigna Group became first in Ireland to manufacture and market this renewable biochar alternative to fossil fuels.
Arigna Group has developed a renewable answer for heating homes while tackling climate change, Harvest Flame biochar briquettes. The company developed Ireland’s first pyrolysis plant to produce this innovative replacement for fossil fuels and has now launched into other markets.
The Roscommon family firm possesses a talent for getting ahead of trends and was the first low-smoke manufacturer in Ireland. Arigna Group, consisting of Arigna Fuels and BL Fuels, began as Arigna Collieries; an underground mining company in Arigna extracting coal and iron ore.
“Our site has a history of industrial use since the 1870s,” explains Managing Director Brendan Layden, representing the fourth generation of Laydens in the business.
“We’ve always responded to change and challenges. As the coal deposits reduced and technology progressed, it became clear we’d need to pivot.“
In the late 1980s, Arigna Group built a patented, 70,000 tonne per annum, hot cure production facility making low-smoke coal briquettes 24/7 for the domestic Irish and UK solid fuel markets and for export to Europe. In total producing over 1.5m tonnes. Brands Cosyglo and Ecobrite remain market leaders.
More recently, efficiency and environmental impact have come to the fore. As early as the 1990s, Arigna Group built one of the first wind farms in Ireland above the old sites.
Biochar begins
“The world was evolving and our fossil fuel products had to change,” Brendan recalls. “So, in 2010, then Managing Director, my visionary brother Peter Layden, set about finding a renewable raw material for briquettes to help reduce CO2. We aimed to decarbonise the solid fuel market.”
After extensive research, processing biomass through pyrolysis or torrefaction emerged as the answer. The next pivot; transition to a renewable fuel company and ultimately a carbon sequestration business.
Arigna Group invested in a pilot-scale plant to process biomass residues, densifying them into a higher energy content product, biochar, which is then briquetted for use in open fires or stoves. Over a decade, Arigna tested and refined the process and product, until it was ready to scale to industrial size and install new production machinery in 2023.
Harvest Flame briquettes launched nationwide in winter 2023/2024 and are widely available in retailers. Feedback has been extremely positive. Now the business is entering European markets as one of its largest biochar producers. But this is only the start, says Brendan. “Biochar has vast potential in the horticulture, agriculture and building sectors. Its uptake will sustain our business over the long term.”
Arigna Group has four UK distribution sites and the Roscommon base, now a major manufacturing hub combining solid fuel production facilities alongside pyrolysis technology.
The premises also includes areas for packaging, research and development, quality control and customer support, together with ample storage facilities for raw materials and finished products, ensuring a streamlined supply chain.
R&D &T (Technology)
“Embracing technology allows us to improve our sustainability practices, quality assurance and customer support,” says Brendan. “Our advanced pyrolysis systems enhance efficiency, ensuring higher yields while minimising energy consumption and emissions. And we continually refine products to strengthen our offering and deliver cutting-edge solutions founded on rigorous study and the latest science.”
Technology facilitates research and development too, enabling the exploration of further uses for biochar. “By prioritising research, we stay at the forefront of the industry and can respond effectively to emerging challenges and opportunities.”
Company owners and senior management have extensive backgrounds in engineering, manufacturing, environmental science and carbon management; integral to understanding biochar’s role in carbon sequestration and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. R&D is driving innovation, informing product development, enhancing insight into environmental impacts, ensuring regulatory compliance, improving efficiency and fostering valuable collaborations with universities, businesses and regulatory bodies.
And benefitting customers and partners. Brendan says “Our robust understanding of biochar’s applications in various sectors, whether agriculture, waste management or industrial, guides the development of tailored products for specific needs.”
We can offer proven advice on how to optimise biochar use for different purposes, for example environmental remediation projects.”
Obstacles
Thriving in an unpredictable, often challenging environment, particularly in this industry, requires a strategic, adaptable approach. Opportunities and barriers shape this sector’s development and influence Arigna’s strategy in its mission to maximise biochar’s positive impact and grow.
Awareness and understanding remains limited among customers and industries that could benefit from biochar. Many businesses and farmers are unfamiliar with its full potential or hesitant to adopt new products without clear evidence of the long-term advantages.
Convincing potential users requires ongoing education and demonstration of the value. Bridging this knowledge gap is key to increasing demand across multiple sectors.
Opportunities
Biochar’s ability to sequester carbon is overcoming obstacles. It has now proven its effectiveness in tackling climate change. As more businesses and governments adopt carbon reduction targets and net-zero commitments, demand will rise.
For agriculture, Biochar offers substantial benefits, from improving soil structure and water retention to increasing nutrient availability and reducing the need for chemical fertilisers. For farmers facing increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices and enhance soil health, biochar delivers a natural solution.
Ongoing research into biochar’s properties is uncovering further uses in construction materials. As an additive in concrete to improve insulation and carbon storage and as insetting material to make buildings carbon neutral or carbon storing.
These emerging applications present significant opportunities to diversify and expand.
Changing customers
Domestic consumers can find Harvest Flame at stockists of Arigna Group’s smokeless products across Ireland and the UK. Sales are flourishing as this target market becomes more environmentally aware. “People are asking about cleaner sustainable fuels. Harvest Flame ticks all their boxes.” says Brendan.
The commercial biochar market encompasses horticulture, environmental remediation, construction and building materials, industrial heat, research institutions, universities and carbon offset programmes.
For both groups, needs and expectations are evolving in response to transforming environmental, economic and social dynamics. “Increasingly, our customers seek products that have a positive environmental impact; motivated by the need to meet regulatory requirements, achieve carbon neutrality goals and adopt practices that promote ecological balance.
Brendan continues “We see a significant shift towards prioritising sustainability, not just as a compliance measure, but as a core value. Many are asking for renewable solutions to reduce their carbon footprint. By constantly providing customers with products of the future, we protect them.”
Family-friendly
Being a family firm brings added commitment and experience. Layden family members head up an extremely knowledgeable workforce willing to adapt alongside the business. In return, the Laydens have created a supportive, dynamic corporate culture, appreciating that success is largely driven by their people.
Brendan Layden holds a BE in Chemical Engineering and heads up operations and strategy. He is leading the transition to biochar, driving innovation and sustainability with a focus on efficiency and growth. Conor Layden, Commercial Director, fifth generation, has a BSc in Quantitative Finance and is QFA qualified. He oversees sales, marketing and strategy, and as MD of BL Fuels, manages day-to-day operations of the UK bases.
Shane Layden, Project Manager, also fifth generation applies his BE in Mechanical Engineering and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt to manage the production of Harvest Flame and biochar. He led the commissioning and installation of the two 35k metric tonne machines.
With a BSc in Management and ACMA qualification, Deirdre Maxwell looks after financial operations and governance. David Layden, Operations Manager, lends 30 years of industry experience to packaging and logistics management.
Team development
Maintaining high standards in knowledge, skills and service within a 75-member workforce is key to ensuring the quality and sustainability of operations and continued leadership.
Arigna Group actively promotes from within, providing pathways for progression and motivating staff to continually upskill. Senior roles are often filled by long-term employees who have demonstrated skills and commitment to company values.
Outreach and connectivity
Arigna Group raises awareness through a balanced mix of online and offline channels.
Brendan says, “Using our website, social media, content marketing, direct communication, trade shows, print advertising, partnerships and community engagement, we communicate the value of our company and products, our commitment to sustainability and innovation, and nurture strong relationships with a diverse customer base.” For Harvest Flame, education, interaction, community-building, targeted advertising and continuous analysis combine to develop meaningful connections with audiences. Consumer messaging that offers useful content helps promote widespread adoption. Strategy is based on actively monitoring market trends and customer feedback.
Networking is valuable too. Arigna recognises the power of strong industry partnerships and collaborative initiatives to maintain leadership.
At local level, Arigna Group is creating stable employment in a remote region where job options may be limited. This helps retain talent and prosperity, which supports area business. Brendan adds “We get involved in our community through sponsorship initiatives including sports teams and school projects, and we’re proudly backing a young Arigna swimmer, Cormac Rynn, all the way to the next Olympics!”
Golden outlook
Brendan is confident Arigna Group has taken the right steps towards a strong future.
“We took a proactive approach to identifying and entering new markets to successfully expand our reach far beyond domestic heating. This has significantly contributed to our growing leading edge in Europe.”
“As we continue to adapt to trends and customer needs, we remain committed to promoting the benefits of biochar, or ‘black gold’, while driving sustainability and innovation across our operations.”
“Our secrets to resilience and success include a focus on innovation, sustainability, strong relationships and operational efficiency. Arigna Group operates with a clear sense of purpose that drives everything we do: to contribute to a more sustainable future for all.”
Further information available from Conor Layden, conor@arignafuels.ie, 071 964 6002.
