Climate tech business to develop sustainable aviation fuel plant

A “first-of-its-kind” demonstration plant to convert carbon dioxide and green hydrogen into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) will be developed at Saltend Chemicals Park, on the Humber.

It will be developed by OXCCU, a company which devises catalysts and processes to convert carbon dioxide and green hydrogen into fuels, chemicals and plastics.

The climate-tech spin-out from the University of Oxford has already demonstrated the world’s first direct carbon dioxide (CO₂) hydrogenation process, turning CO₂  directly into aviation fuel range hydrocarbons, also known as SAF.

The business says its latest project presents a novel approach to SAF production, simplifying a multi-step process to a single step.

OXCCU’s new demonstration plant will be fed by biogenic carbon dioxide, and green hydrogen.

The plant is expected to produce 160 kilos (200 litres) of liquid fuel per day, of which the majority will be SAF.

px Group, a provider of services in the process, energy and high complexity industrial sectors, will provide the engineering design and construction of the Outside Battery Limits (OSBL) support facilities as well as operations and maintenance when the plant is up and running. The plan is for operations to start in 2026.

The Government has committed to having at least five commercial SAF plants under construction in the UK by 2025, viewing low or zero emission technologies as key to sustainability targets.

Geoff Holmes, CEO of px Group, said: “We are truly excited to be working with OXCCU on a world’s first project that will shape the long-term sustainability of the UK aviation industry.

“We are passionate about cutting CO₂ emissions and helping the UK to meet its sustainability ambitions.

“This ground-breaking project with OXCCU further meets this commitment and demonstrates the confidence in Saltend as a pioneering centre for industrial decarbonisation projects.”

Andrew Symes, CEO of OXCCU, added: “The strategic combination of OXCCU’s highly efficient novel catalyst and process with px Group’s world leading facilities creates the perfect environment for us to scale-up.

“This project will demonstrate CO2 and hydrogen directly converted into jet fuel-range hydrocarbons and the potential for much lower cost SAF.

“We look forward to working with px Group on this exciting step for the global aviation industry.”

px Group is backed by Ara Partners, a private equity company specialising in decarbonisation investments.

OXCCU is backed by investors including IP group (Kiko), Clean Energy Ventures, United Airlines, Eni, Aramco Ventures and Trafigura.