Biomethane, biogas and bioCO2 feature in round of ‘lift-off’ funding for SAF development 

The UK Government has today (22 July) announced a £63 million ‘lift-off’ for clean sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).  

Seventeen companies will benefit from the funding, with several using biogas, biomethane and biogenic CO2 in production, highlighting the opportunity for biogas in SAF development (see full list of winning organisations below).  

The funding has been released in support of the Government’s SAF mandate and planned airport expansion – integral to plans for economic growth and delivering the UK’s clean energy superpower ambitions to deliver on the Plan for Change.  

The SAF mandate is a legal requirement to blend a minimum proportion of SAF into aviation fuel; 2% of the total aviation fuel mix must be SAF in 2025, rising to 10% in 2030 and 22% in 2040. 

The government say low carbon aviation fuel production could add up to £5 billion to the economy by 2050, position the UK as a global hub for SAF production and enable the UK to go further and faster with airport expansion plans. 

Winning organisations

Alfanar Energy Ltd (Lighthouse Green Fuels)  
Based in Stockton-on-Tees, the project is developing a commercial scale plant that uses torrefaction with gasification and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis technology to convert sawmill and forestry residues into SAF. 
Award: £8 million  

Altalto Ltd (Altalto Immingham)  
Based in Immingham, the project is developing a commercial scale plant that uses gasification and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis technology to convert municipal solid waste into SAF. 
Award: £3 million  

British Sugar PLC (British BioJet) 
Based in Wissington, the project is developing a commercial scale plant that uses ethanol-to-jet technology to convert sugar beet betaine residue bioethanol into SAF. 
Award: £2.6 million  

Carbon Neutral Fuels Ltd (ASAP-DAC)  
Based in Workington, the project is developing a commercial scale plant that uses solid oxide electrolysis and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis technology to convert low carbon electricity and CO2 from direct air capture and biogenic sources into SAF. 
Award: £6 million  

Equilibrion Ltd (Eq.flight)  
Based in Hull, the project is developing a demonstration plant that uses solid oxide electrolysis, reverse water-gas shift and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis technology to convert direct air capture CO2, local heat sources and nuclear electricity into SAF. 
Award: £1 million  

Equinor Low Carbon UK Ltd (The Humber SAF Project)  
Based in the Humber region, the project is developing a commercial plant that uses methanol-to-jet technology to convert biomethanol and renewable e-methanol into SAF. 
Award: £3 million  

Essar Oil (UK) Ltd / EET Fuels (Stanlow Methanol-to-Jet)  
Based in Stanlow, the project is developing a large commercial plant that uses methanol-to-jet technology to convert renewable e-methanol and biomethanol into SAF. 
Award: £2.5 million  

ETFuels UK Ltd (Project SkyFuel Teesside)  
Based in Redcar, the project is developing a commercial scale plant that uses methanol synthesis and methanol-to-jet technology to convert biogenic CO2 and green hydrogen into SAF. 
Award: £5 million  

LanzaJet UK Ltd (Project Speedbird) 
Based in Wilton, the project is developing a commercial scale plant that uses ethanol-to-jet technology to convert advanced bioethanol into SAF. 
Award: £10 million  

LanzaTech UK Ltd (DRAGON 1&2)  
This project is developing two commercial scale plants, one that uses ethanol-to-jet technology to convert recycled carbon fuel ethanol into SAF at Milford Haven, and another industrial site converting waste carbon dioxide sources and green hydrogen into SAF via ethanol-to-jet technology. 
Award: £6.4 million   

NorthPointe Energy Ltd (Project Northpoint) 
Based in Stanlow, the project is developing a commercial scale plant that uses gasification and Fischer-Tropsch technology to convert refuse derived fuel into SAF. 
Award: £2 million  

OXCCU TECH Ltd (OXCCU) 
Based at Oxford Airport, the project is deploying a small demonstration plant that uses combined catalysis technology to convert biogenic carbon dioxide and green hydrogen into SAF. 
Award: £3.1 million   

Power2X Solutions UK Ltd (eFuels Humber) 
Based in the Humber Port, the project is developing a large commercial plant that uses methanol-to-jet technology to convert renewable e-methanol and biomethanol into SAF. 
Award: £1.5 million  

SuMo Engineering Ltd (CLEARSKIES)  
Based in Wednesbury, the project is developing a demonstration plant using gasification, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and gas reforming technology to convert refuse derived fuel and biomethane into SAF. 
Award: £4.2 million  

University of Sheffield (NEXTGEN-SAF) 
This project is developing a demonstration plant that uses biogas-fuelled molten carbonate fuel cell technology for industrial biogenic CO2 capture, combined with renewable electrolysis, reverse water-gas shift and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis technology to produce SAF. 
Award: £1.5 million  

Willis Sustainable Fuels (UK) Ltd (Teesside Carbonshift SAF Project) 
Based in Teesside, the project is developing a small commercial scale plant that uses autothermal reforming and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis technology to convert residue-derived biomethane into SAF. 
Award: £2.9 million  

Zero Petroleum Ltd (Fuelling Zero) 
Based in Saltend, the project is developing a small commercial plant that uses reverse water-gas shift and novel Fischer-Tropsch synthesis technology to convert biogenic carbon dioxide and green hydrogen into high blend SAF. 
Award: £3.5 million