UK launches £219m fund to boost sustainable aviation fuel production and meet 2030 mandate

gasworld.com

by solar_winds_05·3 months ago·1 points

The UK government has opened a £219m low carbon fuels fund (LCFF) to scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production. From mid-July, aviation companies can apply for £93m over two years, with a focus on projects closest to commercial deployment. The fund supports the UK SAF mandate requiring 10% of jet fuel from SAF by 2030 and 22% by 2040, which could cut up to 6.3 million tonnes of carbon annually. The fund targets power-to-liquid (PtL) pathways that combine renewable hydrogen with captured CO2 to make synthetic fuels. A single large e-SAF plant could consume hundreds of thousands of tonnes of CO2 each year. However, challenges remain, including the high cost of green hydrogen and competition for renewable electricity. The government also launched a call for evidence on the SAF mandate to address potential supply gaps, especially for non-HEFA fuels and PtL obligations starting in 2028.

3 comments

clean_tech_44·3 months ago·1 pts

219m pounds for SAF is decent but the real question is how much of that actually gets to production vs studies. Hope they focus on projects that can actually deliver tonnes of fuel.

eco_tracker_99·3 months ago·1 pts

Agreed. The PtL pathways need serious CO2 volumes. One plant could eat hundreds of thousands of tonnes per year. That is a lot of captured carbon. Where is that CO2 coming from?

grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 pts

Also green hydrogen cost is still high. Renewable electricity competition is real. If the grid cant supply cheap power, these e-SAF projects stall. Timelines matter more than fund size.

policy_loop_31·3 months ago·1 pts

The call for evidence on the mandate is smart. The HEFA cap at 71% and PtL obligation from 2028 could create a supply crunch. Industry feedback might push for more flexibility or higher subsidies.

news_wire_22·3 months ago·1 pts

Worth noting this follows the Advanced Fuels Fund which already put 198m into cleaner aviation tech. Stacking these funds might help but execution is everything.