HardLevel Energias Renováveis

What HardLevel Energias Renováveis does

HardLevel Energias Renováveis is a Portuguese waste management operator specializing in the collection, storage, pretreatment, and valorization of Used Cooking Oil (UCO) for use as feedstock in advanced biofuel production. The company serves three primary customer segments: Industrial & HoReCa clients (restaurants, hotels, and industrial facilities requiring licensed waste handling under EU codes LER 20 01 25 and LER 19 08 09), municipal governments (100+ Portuguese municipalities deploying the RENO network of smart containers for citizen-facing household UCO collection), and retail chains (notably SONAE's Continente, Modelo, and Bom Dia supermarkets hosting collection points).

The company's core technology stack centers on Smart S+ IoT-enabled UCO containers with real-time fill-level sensors, deployed through the RENO (Rede Nacional de Oleões) national network and connected to a citizen-facing RENO mobile app with a Pay-As-You-Throw incentive model. HardLevel holds a patented UCO Fingerprinting Method for distinguishing Used Cooking Oils from Vegetable Waste Oils, presented at Argus Biofuels 2019. Operations span Portugal (headquarters and warehouse in Avanca, plus Vila Nova de Gaia), Netherlands (8,000 CBM storage at Port of Rotterdam via Maastank International BV), Malaysia (~7,500 CBM at Port Klang via Fima Bulking Services Berhad), and Spain (500 CBM at Valencia through subsidiary Nox Energy). The company is ISCC-EU certified since 2013 and ISO 9001/14001 certified since 2015, with renewals through 2021.

HardLevel generates revenue through three streams: (1) transaction-fee-based UCO collection and valorization sold as ISCC-EU certified feedstock to biofuel producers, (2) professional services for HoReCa and industrial clients (collection, fat separator cleaning, exhaust system maintenance) with a 48-hour response commitment, and (3) managed-services partnerships with municipalities for installation and operation of RENO smart container networks. The product portfolio also includes Glycerol 80, Crude Glycerine, and refined vegetable oils (soy, sunflower, palm) as downstream valorization outputs. Vision articulated by the company is to be the European leader in UCO management supply.

Name

HardLevel Energias Renováveis

Legal name

HARDLEVEL, Energias Renováveis, S.A.

Website

https://hardlevel.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

HardLevel Energias Renováveis is a Portuguese vertically integrated Used Cooking Oil (UCO) waste management operator serving HoReCa/industrial clients, 100+ municipalities through its IoT-enabled RENO smart-container network, and retail chains, with international storage and pretreatment facilities across Portugal, Netherlands, Malaysia, and Spain for advanced biofuel feedstock valorization.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Used Cooking Oil (UCO) Waste Management Services

NAICS

Fats and Oils Refining and Blending (311225), Soybean and Other Oilseed Processing (311224)

SIC

Fats & Oils (2070), Wholesale-Petroleum Bulk Stations & Terminals (5171)

akta.pro primary industry

Anaerobic Digestion (AD) & Biogas/RNG Production (Organics Feedstocks) (BPALAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Palm Oil Milling, Refining & Fractionation (AFAKAEAB)

Keywords

• Used cooking oil collection
• Waste oil valorization
• Biofuel feedstock supply
• Industrial waste management
• Renewable energy operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Vila Nova De Gaia

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Used Cooking Oil Collection and Valorization: Collection and management of Used Cooking Oil (UCO) from industrial, HoReCa, and household sources, with pretreatment and storage for use as feedstock in Advanced Biofuel production. Revenue derived from the valorization and sale of UCO as sustainable raw material for biofuel production.
2. Industrial & HoReCa Services: Collection services for restaurants and hotels, including used cooking oil collection, fat separator cleaning, and exhaust system maintenance. Licensed operator for waste management services (LER 20 01 25, LER 19 08 09).
3. Municipal Network Services: Partnership with municipalities for installation and operation of smart UCO container networks (RENO®), providing municipalities with waste management infrastructure and citizen engagement tools.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HardLevel Energias Renováveis operates a vertically integrated Used Cooking Oil (UCO/OAU) management business covering selective collection, pretreatment, storage, and valorization of UCO as feedstock for advanced biofuel production. The company operates the RENO® National Oil Network of more than 2,000 IoT-enabled Smart S+ containers in over 100 Portuguese municipalities, provides licensed collection, fat-separator cleaning, and exhaust maintenance services to industrial and HoReCa clients, and runs international storage/trading platforms in the Netherlands (Rotterdam), Malaysia (Port Klang), and Spain (Valencia).

Product overview

HardLevel Energias Renováveis operates a vertically integrated business structure in Used Cooking Oil (UCO/OAU) management. The core offering includes the RENO Network of IoT-enabled Smart S+ UCO Containers for household collection, complemented by Industrial & HoReCa collection services, fat separator cleaning, and filter/exhaust system maintenance. The product portfolio includes ISCC-EU certified used cooking oil, vegetable oils (soy, sunflower, palm), glycerol 80, and crude glycerine. The company operates storage and treatment facilities in Portugal (Avanca), Netherlands (Rotterdam), Malaysia (Port Klang), and Spain (Valencia).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RENO®: National Oil Network - Smart S+ UCO Containers with IoT technology for household collection of Used Cooking Oil, featuring real-time filling status monitoring and a mobile app for citizens to track deposits and participate in campaigns.
• Prio Top Level
• I-ON LEVEL

Products and services

• RENO® National Oil Network (Rede Nacional de Oleões) Network of more than 2,000 IoT-enabled Smart S+ UCO containers operated by HardLevel across 100+ Portuguese municipalities for household collection of used cooking oil, with real-time fill-level monitoring and citizen engagement via the RENO® App.
• ISCC-EU Certified Used Cooking Oil (UCO / OAU) ISCC-EU certified used cooking oil collected from industrial, HoReCa, and household sources, pretreated and sold as sustainable feedstock for advanced biofuel production.
• Refined Vegetable Oils (Soy, Sunflower, Palm) Refined vegetable oils (soy, sunflower, palm) marketed as part of HardLevel's oils and fats product portfolio.
• Glycerol 80 Glycerol 80 (GLICERINA80%), a product derived from used cooking oil processing and biodiesel production, sold as a chemical/biorefining byproduct.
• Crude Glycerine Crude glycerine (GLICERINA BRUTA), a byproduct from biodiesel and used cooking oil processing, sold as a commodity input.
• Industrial & HoReCa UCO Collection Services Licensed collection, transport and valorization of used cooking oil from restaurants, hotels, and industrial facilities, with 48-hour response time and compliance documentation under LER 20 01 25.
• Fat Separator Cleaning Services Licensed cleaning and vacuuming services for grease separators (LER 19 08 09) performed by HardLevel's specialized staff for HoReCa and industrial clients.
• Filter and Exhaust System Cleaning Services Maintenance and cleaning services for kitchen filters and exhaust systems (hottes) to mitigate fire risk, performed by HardLevel's specialized staff for HoReCa clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,000+ Smart S+ UCO Containers installed in 100+ municipalities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SONAE DistribuiçãocoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 September 2019Partnership between Hardlevel and SONAE Distribuição for UCO Household Collection on Continente, Modelo and Bom Dia supermarket stores. Smart containers installed at retail locations for citizen disposal of used cooking oil.
• Nox EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019Nox Energy established in Valencia, Spain, expanding Hardlevel's activity to the Mediterranean coast for treatment and storage of UCO.
• RENO® Municipal Network PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with over 100 Portuguese municipalities for deployment of RENO® smart container networks for household UCO collection. Municipalities include Lourinhã, Seixal, Loures, Aveiro, Santo Tirso, Mafra, and others.
• Maastank International BVcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Maastank International BV for storage facility at Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands, with 8,000 CBM shore tank capacity.
• Fima Bulking Services BerhadcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Fima Bulking Services Berhad for storage facility at Port Klang, Malaysia, with approximately 7,500 CBM capacity for Asian market operations.
• RENO® App UsersminorOthersCitizens using the RENO® App to track their UCO deposits and participate in campaigns and sweepstakes, qualifying for prizes through the PAYT (Pay as you Throw) model.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SARIA Group: SARIA is an international collector/processor of used cooking oils, animal fats, and food waste into renewable feedstocks for biofuels and oleochemistry. Comparable to HardLevel's UCO aggregation model with multi-country infrastructure for fat/oil collection and biofuel feedstock supply.
• Olleco: Olleco is the UK's largest collector of Used Cooking Oil, supplying biofuel producers with ISCC-certified UCO feedstock for biodiesel and renewable diesel. Directly comparable to HardLevel as a vertically integrated Iberian UCO collector serving biodiesel/SUF routes, with HoReCa collection, ISCC certification, and downstream biofuel trading.
• Greenergy: Greenergy is a UK-based downstream biofuels supplier active across Europe, trading biodiesel and UCO feedstock under ISCC compliance. Comparable to HardLevel as a European UCO/biofuel supply-chain operator serving obligated parties under RED/SAF mandates, though more downstream-focused.
• ECO-OIL Iberica: ECO-OIL Iberica is a Spanish-based UCO collector that aggregates used cooking oil from HoReCa and households, supplying biofuel refiners across Europe. Direct competitor to HardLevel's Iberian (Portugal + Spain via Nox Energy) UCO collection operations with similar feedstock-to-biofuel vertical integration.

Broad incumbents

• Suez (Waste Management): Suez is a global waste management and water services incumbent with operations in Iberia, France, and the UK, providing municipal recycling and industrial waste collection including used oils. Comparable as a broad-incumbent competitor for municipal UCO contracts and related environmental services.
• PreZero (Schwarz Group): PreZero is the Schwarz Group's environmental services arm operating in 11+ countries, including Iberia, with waste collection, sorting, and feedstock supply capabilities (including used oils). Comparable as a broad waste management incumbent addressing the same municipal customers and ISCC-style compliance mandates.
• Argent Energy: Argent Energy is one of Europe's largest producers of biodiesel from Used Cooking Oil and tallow, operating refineries in the UK and Netherlands that buy UCO from collectors like HardLevel. A downstream incumbent buyer in the value chain HardLevel serves, but competing for UCO volumes.
• Veolia (Environmental Services): Veolia is a global waste management incumbent operating municipal waste contracts across Iberia and Europe, including UCO-related services following its acquisition of Olleco's parent. Comparable as a broad waste-services platform competing for municipal recycling/UCO contracts that HardLevel targets.

Emerging players

• Bio-bean: Bio-bean is a UK-based emerging player that aggregates coffee grounds and used cooking oil into biofuels and biochemicals, working with waste collectors and HoReCa. Adjacent/emerging in the same waste-to-biofuel feedstock category HardLevel serves, with a narrower scope but similar ISCC-aligned compliance.

Others

• Dleftweg: Dleftweg is a smart waste collection platform offering IoT-enabled bins and route-optimization for municipalities, including grease/oil waste. Comparable to HardLevel's Smart S+ IoT container technology as an enabling/adjacent technology provider in municipal circular-economy infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hardlevel

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HardLevel Energias Renováveis