23-01-2025

LanzaJet selects Teesside’s Wilton International for its next SAF production facility

LanzaJet, a leader in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)¹ technology and producer of SAF, today announced the selection of the site for their next production facility, Project Speedbird, in Teesside’s Wilton International.

LanzaJet has partnered with Sembcorp Utilities (UK) Limited, a wholly-owned entity of Sembcorp Industries Ltd, to develop an ethanol-to-SAF facility at Wilton International in Teesside, UK. Through a collaboration with British Airways, Project Speedbird will produce over 90,000 tonnes (30 million gallons) of SAF and renewable diesel annually.

Project Speedbird, a recipient of grant funding by the UK government under the Advanced Fuels Fund, is likely to generate significant regional benefits and create around 30 highly skilled, long-term roles within LanzaJet’s operations. The fuel produced is expected to reduce the net carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 230,000 tonnes per year — equivalent to 26,000 British Airways UK domestic flights.

“Wilton International was selected for its strategic location and advanced infrastructure, essential for SAF production. This selection underscores Teesside’s pivotal role in the UK’s energy transition and industrial decarbonisation efforts. By leveraging Wilton International’s capabilities, the project enhances the region’s status as a leader in alternative energy initiatives, contributing significantly to the UK’s clean energy objectives,” said Jimmy Samartzis, CEO of LanzaJet.

“Through our collaboration with British Airways, we are building a local supply chain for SAF – a critical solution for reducing lifecycle net carbon emissions in aviation – while supporting the UK’s ambition to lead the energy transition. Project Speedbird demonstrates the potential of aligning technology, investment, and partnerships to address the aviation industry’s carbon emissions.”

The facility will utilise LanzaJet’s proprietary alcohol-to-jet technology, deployed at its Freedom Pines Fuels facility in Georgia, USA, the world’s first commercial ethanol-to-SAF production plant. Project Speedbird will produce SAF from sustainably sourced ethanol. Project Speedbird will also establish key collaborations across the region to further bolster the local economy.

Carrie Harris, Director of Sustainability at British Airways, said: ​“We are delighted that LanzaJet has selected Wilton International in Teesside as the site for Project Speedbird. This milestone paves the way for the next stage of this innovative project, which is an important step towards scaling up sustainable aviation fuel production in the UK. SAF will be crucial in helping us reach our net zero goals by 2050, and this development marks significant progress towards producing UK SAF, whilst also supporting local communities and creating green jobs.”

“We are pleased to welcome LanzaJet to our Wilton International site in Teesside. By providing ready-to-go infrastructure, energy and utilities services, we support their efforts in developing sustainable and low-carbon solutions. This collaboration aligns with our commitment to accelerating the UK’s energy transition and industrial decarbonisation. We look forward to partnering with LanzaJet as they play a pivotal role in transforming the aviation sector towards net zero,” said Mike Patrick, Chief Executive Officer of Sembcorp Energy UK.

1 Defined in the Refuel EU Aviation Regulation as aviation fuels that are either synthetic aviation fuels, aviation biofuels or recycled carbon aviation fuels. SAF produces similar levels of carbon dioxide to conventional aviation fuels when burned, but the carbon dioxide generated is already part of the carbon cycle and is not extracted from the ground specifically for creating aviation fuel. This means that using SAF results in a reduction in carbon emissions compared to the traditional jet fuel it replaces over the lifecycle of the fuel.