The UK government has awarded £181,000 (US$250,00) to four sustainable aviation fuel developers to accelerate the testing, certification, and commercialization of next-generation low-carbon fuels.
The grants were distributed through the UK Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Clearing House, funded by the Department for Transport (DfT). The recipients are Avioxx, Clean Planet Technologies, Green Lizard Technologies, and Zero Petroleum.
The clearing house supports SAF companies by providing guidance on qualification requirements and connecting them to recognized testing facilities. It coordinates testing activity across a network of UK facilities to cover required pre-screening and ASTM certification processes.
Matthew Jee, the UK SAF Clearing House director said, “The testing we facilitate provides the robust evidence base that producers and industry needs to build confidence, unlock investment, and accelerate the deployment of new fuels.”
Avioxx is developing a waste-to-SAF platform that converts waste hydrocarbons into liquid fuel using Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The funding will support the company’s progression through ASTM D7566 testing, including Fischer-Tropsch crude production, hydrocracking, atmospheric distillation, and full fuel analysis.
Chris Hancock, CEO of Avioxx, said, “This latest round of funding allows us to accelerate and deepen testing of fuel from our new X25 Fischer-Tropsch reactor and continue to scale towards commercial production.”
Clean Planet Technologies is developing an advanced process to convert non-recyclable waste plastics into SAF using pyrolysis combined with proprietary hydroprocessing technology. The company is an active contributor to the ASTM task force for the plastics-to-SAF pathway.
Green Lizard Technologies operates an industrial-scale Fischer-Tropsch system at its 500-acre site in Teesside that converts carbon dioxide into SAF. The company’s fuel has completed a full jet-engine test in the UK with results demonstrating exceptional performance, said Green Lizard Technologies.
Dr Martin Atkins, CEO of Green Lizard Technologies, said, “The additional validation and testing enabled by this funding will accelerate the commercial deployment of our technology.”
UK-based Zero Petroleum specializes in DirectFT technology for synthesizing replica jet, gasoline, and diesel fuels. The funding is enabling acceleration of fuel development through a rapid feedback loop between laboratory, pilot plant, and test facilities, said the company.
Paddy Lowe, CEO of Zero Petroleum, said, “This grant will accelerate our growth timeline by supporting the rapid testing and qualification of our fuel as we prepare for fast-track approval through ASTM.”
SAF is considered a key measure for reaching net zero emissions from aviation by 2050. The UK government is encouraging SAF production through its SAF Mandate and by supporting first-of-a-kind production plants.
