Wastefront announced on February 28, 2025, that construction has officially begun on its £100 million (approximately $129 million) tire-to-fuel facility at the Port of Sunderland in the United Kingdom. This milestone project marks a significant step forward in the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the UK and will bring significant economic benefits to the North East region, with more than 100 local jobs expected to be created.

The facility uses advanced pyrolysis technology to convert waste tires into Tire Derived Oil (TDO) through anaerobic heating, which is then refined into sustainable fuels such as SAF, and its systems are designed to be self-sufficient, utilizing recovered gases generated during the pyrolysis process to power its operations.

The plant is being built in two phases: the first phase will be commercially operational by the end of 2026 and the second phase is expected to start up the following year. When fully operational, it will be able to process 10 million scrap tires per year, making it the largest facility of its kind in Europe. With approximately 55 million tires scrapped in the UK each year, Wastefront’s full-cycle process will effectively address this pressing waste disposal challenge. International Airlines Group (IAG), the first airline group in Europe to commit to a 10% SAF utilization rate by 2030, announced its investment in Wastefront in January this year to support its growth.

Looking ahead, Wastefront plans to operate four large-scale plants by 2030, with a combined annual production capacity of 128,000 tons of oil, equivalent to approximately 90,000 tons of SAF, a project that not only promotes sustainable energy, but also reinvigorates the environment and the regional economy through innovative technology. The Sunderland plant, the first full-cycle tyre-to-fuel facility in the UK, demonstrates the enormous potential of waste-to-energy.

The Government of the United States strongly opposes the recommendation on “sustainable” aviation fuel made during the 13th Triennial Meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP).

This proposal to the ICAO Council for multi-cropping (i.e., growing two or more crops on the same piece of land) for the production of sustainable aviation fuel would unfairly penalize U.S. farmers, while benefiting Brazil more than the rest of the world. The U.S. government argues that this proposal is premature and lacks a sound technical or scientific basis. Despite these problems, CAEP has adopted the proposal to the detriment of U.S. farmers and the aviation industry, while increasing deforestation of endangered tropical forests.

The United States remains committed to constructive dialogue at ICAO and CAEP, and reaffirms its willingness to continue to work with Member States, U.S. industry, and other observers to develop recommendations that serve U.S. interests in order to maximize its contribution to ICAO.

In support of the recently issued Executive Order “Putting the United States First in International Environmental Agreements”, his delegation had worked with 33 Member States, United States industry and other observers to develop proposals that would maintain aviation safety, enhance United States leadership in the civil supersonic aircraft sector and address other key aviation industry issues.

March 4 (Bloomberg) — The U.K. government released a consultation paper on March 3 detailing how it will support the green fuel industry and provide market certainty for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) producers. This is part of the UK government’s plan to drive decarbonization of the aviation industry and promote economic growth.

As SAF is still a nascent industry, the government proposes to address the current market uncertainty by introducing an industry-funded price guarantee (i.e. Revenue Certainty Mechanism, RCM). The core objective of this mechanism is to ensure that producers receive a stable revenue stream even if SAF prices fluctuate, which in turn will help airlines and consumers reduce costs. To fund the RCM, the government proposes to impose a variable tax on aviation fuel suppliers.

The implementation of the RCM will provide the necessary stability in the green fuel market to support the continued production of SAF, which in turn will contribute to the aviation industry’s decarbonization goals. The mechanism is designed to be similar to the successful model used by the UK in the renewable energy sector, and is intended to boost domestic SAF production, attract more investment, and promote green jobs.

The UK government says the measure is primarily designed to address price uncertainty in the SAF market, particularly in the early stages, and to help scale up early-stage technologies, while ensuring producers have a fair chance in a competitive market. The government will continually monitor the impact of the measure and may manage the liability by setting support volumes and price limits.

The proposal will also limit cost increases and ensure that consumers (particularly vacationers) are not exposed to significant price volatility. Cost increases are expected to be in line with routine changes to flight fares.

In addition, in January this year, the UK introduced the Sustainable Fuels Regulations, which require aviation fuel sources to progressively move towards sustainability to ensure market demand and drive domestic production, and the implementation of the RCM will complement these regulations to further drive the SAF industry.

As part of the UK’s Transformation Plan, the RCM will not only help achieve net-zero emissions, but will also attract significant investment in the SAF industry, create green jobs and promote innovation. UK Aviation Minister Mike Cain said, “We are committed to paving the way for green flying while protecting consumers.” Airlines and related industries also actively support the RCM and look forward to the mechanism to promote the long-term development of the industry.

The consultation will run until March 31, and the SAF RCM Bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament in the spring.

On Feb. 28, the ship “Shengliu 238” carrying 500 tons of SINOPEC’s bio-aviation coal departed from Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Company’s Sanshan Terminal and sailed to Hong Kong to supply Hong Kong International Airport. This marks the first time that SINOPEC’s bio jet fuel is supplied to Hong Kong.

SINOPEC Zhenhai Refining has China’s first bio-jet fuel production unit, with an annual processing capacity of 100,000 tons. 2022, Zhenhai Refining’s bio-jet fuel received Asia’s first Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) certification, which lays a solid foundation for the promotion of China’s independently researched and developed bio-jet fuel to enter the international market.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is supporting Cleaner Australian Skies with up to $10.4 million in funding for two projects from its Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) funding program. ARENA is providing $8 million to Licella and $2.4 million to Viva Energy for separate studies on the development of renewable fuel alternatives for the Australian aviation industry. ARENA provided Licella with A$8 million and Viva Energy with A$2.4 million for separate studies to develop renewable fuel alternatives for the Australian aviation industry.

The two projects include:

A$8 million to Licella, an Australian technology and project developer, for the A$26.1 million Swift Project – Feasibility Study for SAF from Sugar Cane Residues to complete a Feasibility and Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study to assess the feasibility of a biorefinery in Bundaberg, Queensland, a facility that will be used to produce SAF from sugar cane residues. Refinery in Bundaberg, Queensland, which utilizes Licella’s patented Catalytic Hydrothermal Reactor (Cat-HTR™) thermo-liquefaction technology to convert sugar mill residue into a renewable fuel. The proposed facility will be capable of producing approximately 60 ML per year of low carbon liquid fuel (LCLF), of which approximately 40 ML per year will be SAF.

-Providing A$2.4 million to Viva Energy for the A$4.9 million Future SAF Infrastructure Solutions Project to refurbish existing tanks at its Pinkenba Terminal to supply blended SAF to Brisbane Airport for commercial use. Viva will also work with industry partners to develop a billing and claims system to enable customers to recognize the carbon reduction benefits of the SAF supplied. The project will end with Viva Energy supplying SAF to the Brisbane Joint User Hydrant Installation and demonstrating the storage and use of SAF within the existing airport, and on completion of the project, the system will be able to supply large quantities of SAF to meet customer demand.

XCF Global Capital, Inc. announced that New Rise Renewables, LLC has commenced commercial production of pure sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

In addition, New Rise has entered into an irrevocable purchase order with an unaffiliated third-party buyer to whom it plans to sell over 3 million gallons of pure SAF.

Shipments of the first shipment of pure SAF are expected to begin in February 2025 and deliveries are expected to be completed by early March.

Feb. 26 (Bloomberg) — Boeing and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) have announced a partnership aimed at advancing India’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) ecosystem and supporting the Indian government’s environmental goals.

Under the partnership agreement, Boeing and HPCL will work together to explore opportunities to expand SAF production in India, promote certification of domestically produced SAF, and actively advocate for policies to facilitate a thriving SAF industry in India.

In addition, the two companies will work together to promote sustainability standards and practices in the SAF supply chain, explore opportunities for training programs, and share leading experiences and best practices in SAF.

Air Products announced on Feb. 24 that it has decided to exit three projects in the U.S. as part of a review process by its new board of directors and chief executive officer. The company expects a pre-tax charge of up to $3.1 billion in the second quarter of fiscal 2025, primarily for write-downs of assets and termination of contractual commitments. However, this charge is not expected to impact adjusted earnings per share in fiscal 2025.

One of the primary impacted projects is the Paramount Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) expansion project in California with World Energy. Air Products has terminated its agreement with World Energy and plans to fully exit the project. The company said the decision to exit this project stems from the expansion program and the commercial challenges facing existing operations.

The change marks a strategic realignment for Air Products in the sustainable energy sector, particularly with respect to the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) program. While the company remains optimistic about the potential of SAF and other green energy markets, the current market environment and operational challenges have prompted a reexamination of relevant investment decisions. Moving forward, Air Products will continue to optimize its portfolio, focusing on projects with stronger commercial viability and market prospects.

XCF Global Capital Inc. announced Feb. 24 that New Rise Renewables LLC has begun commercial production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at the Reno-Tahoe Industrial Park in Story County, Nevada.

In April 2024, New Rise Renewables stated that the conversion from renewable diesel to SAF at its newly constructed 3,200 barrels per day (approximately 45 million gallons per year) facility is nearing completion and production is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2024.

In addition to commencing production, XCF Global Capital announced in February that New Rise has entered into an irrevocable corporate purchase order with an unaffiliated third-party buyer for the sale of over 3 million gallons of pure SAF.

The first shipment of pure SAF is expected to begin in February with deliveries expected to begin in early March.

February 24, 2012 – LanzaJet announced that Cosmo Oil Co. Ltd (Cosmo Oil) has been awarded a FY2024 subsidy by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) in support of a project co-developed with Mitsui planned to utilize LanzaJet technology. The funding marks a significant milestone for large-scale domestic SAF production in Japan and increased SAF supply for the aviation industry.

Cosmo Oil plans to utilize LanzaJet’s proprietary ethanol-to-SAF technology and combine its experience in plant operations, fuel quality control and logistics with Mitsui’s strengths in ethanol sourcing to develop the project and establish a large-scale SAF production facility that will create new business opportunities in Japan’s expanding biofuels industry.

Upon completion, the project is expected to produce approximately 150,000 kiloliters of SAF and 17,000 kiloliters of renewable diesel per year at the Sakae logistics site beginning in 2029.