UK government provides 17 companies with £63 million to accelerate SAF production

Passengers are a step closer to greener flights as the U.K.’s aviation minister announced July 22 the 17 cutting-edge U.K. companies that will share £63 million (USD$85 million) to accelerate sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production.  

The boost will support around 1,400 jobs and secure Britain’s position as the global leader in the green aviation market—critical to provide the clean fuel that’s essential to realize sustainable growth in the aviation sector.  

This new investment means the U.K. government has provided £198 million (USD$267 million) to date through the Advanced Fuels Fund to scale up cleaner aviation technologies.

Creating a clean-aviation ecosystem will help power the next generation of airport infrastructure and capacity scale up, kickstarting economic growth and delivering the U.K.’s clean-energy superpower ambitions to carry out the “plan for change.”

Low-carbon fuel production could add up to £5 billion (USD$6.74 billion) to the economy by 2050, position the U.K. as a global hub for SAF production and enable the U.K. to go further and faster with expansion plans.

“This £63 million is lift off for Britain’s green-aviation revolution,” said U.K. Aviation Minister Mike Kane. “We’re not just backing brilliant British innovation, we’re creating thousands of high-skilled jobs and positioning the U.K. at the forefront of the global sustainable aviation market. From the labs of Sheffield to the runways of the future—this is how we kickstart economic growth, secure energy independence and make Britain a clean-energy superpower.”

SAF is an alternative to fossil jet fuel that reduces greenhouse-gas emissions on average by 70 percent on a lifecycle basis, from feedstock to biofuel, making it the key technology that will allow U.K. aviation to grow capacity while achieving net-zero commitments.  

The SAF bill will help secure the future of the aviation sector by boosting green-fuel production in the U.K. and delivering cleaner flights.

This bill will give investors the confidence to back SAF production.

It will help grow the sector, providing good green jobs and enabling the delivery of carbon savings. 

Announcing the new funding at the University of Sheffield’s Energy Innovation Centre, which just received £1.5 million (USD$2 million) in this latest round, Kane saw firsthand the groundbreaking work on aircraft-engine testbeds and revolutionary aviation fuels.

“We’re proud that Project Speedbird, developed in partnership with British Airways, has been recognized by the department for transport as part of its continued commitment to advancing SAF in the U.K.,” said LanzaJet CEO Jimmy Samartzis. “This support demonstrates confidence in LanzaJet’s technology and the critical role ethanol-to-SAF can play in delivering economic growth, creating jobs and decarbonizing air travel. Project Speedbird is vital to building a national SAF industry in the U.K. and to unlocking opportunity and innovation in the region. We thank the department for transport for its leadership and vision in accelerating the transition to net-zero aviation.”