Government gives £63m boost to help develop green aviation fuel

Seventeen UK companies will share £63 million to accelerate the production of sustainable aviation fuel.  

The investment announced today (Tuesday) means government has provided £198 million to date through the Advanced Fuels Fund (AFF) to scale up cleaner aviation technologies. 

Creating a clean aviation ecosystem will help power the next generation of airport infrastructure and capacity scale up, according to the Department for Transport.

Low carbon fuel production could add up to £5 billion to the economy by 2050 and position the UK as a global hub for SAF production, the transport department claimed.

SAF is an alternative to fossil jet fuel which reduces greenhouse gas emissions on average by 70% on a lifecycle basis, from feedstock to biofuel.

Announcing the new funding at the University of Sheffield’s Energy Innovation Centre, aviation minister Mike Kane said: "This £63 million is lift off for Britain’s green aviation revolution. We’re not just backing brilliant British innovation, we’re creating thousands of high-skilled jobs and positioning the UK at the forefront of the global sustainable aviation market.

"From the labs of Sheffield to the runways of the future - this is how we kick-start economic growth, secure energy independence, and make Britain a clean energy superpower." 

However, a note of caution was voiced by Yann Cabaret, chief executive of the aircraft arm of aviation IT firm Sita.

He said: ”Incentivising and investing in SAF production is a welcome move, but it’s not nearly enough. Airlines won’t hit net-zero targets without a much broader sustainability strategy and digital technologies must play a central role.

"Flight path optimisation, smarter aircraft turnaround, and dynamic load planning can cut emissions immediately, without waiting on fuel supply chains to catch up. 

“AI can help pilots avoid weather-related inefficiencies, digital baggage tracking reduces aircraft weight, and real-time airport operations limit ground delays and fuel waste.

"Sustainable aviation demands more than just sustainable fuel. Progress will accelerate once we begin to treat digital efficiency as a decarbonization lever, not just an operational bonus."