Ricardo supports launch of the UK Clearing House for sustainable aviation fuels

The UK sustainable aviation fuels Clearing House has officially launched, marking a major step in enabling the UK to bring new fuels to market and help reduce carbon emissions from the aviation industry.

Led by the Energy Institute at the University of Sheffield, and supported by Ricardo plc, the Clearing House will help position the UK at the forefront of decarbonising the global aviation industry. Delivery of the UK Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) Clearing House is funded by the UK Government’s Department for Transport.

The UK SAF Clearing House is now accepting applications from fuel producers for technical support and funding towards the development, testing and qualification of sustainable aviation fuels. 

Any new aviation fuel must meet strict performance standards before it can be qualified as safe for use in aircraft. To achieve this, fuel must undergo stages of testing in accordance with industry recognised standards. The cost and complexity of testing can be a significant barrier to new fuels entering the market. The UK SAF Clearing House will provide advice to fuel producers on testing, signpost towards testing facilities and support the qualification of sustainable aviation fuels to help overcome this barrier.

The UK SAF Clearing House provides support for the development, testing, qualification, and production of sustainable aviation fuels, and it will play a key role in the government’s ambition to build a thriving UK SAF production industry, and establish the UK as a global leader in the use of SAF. 

Natasha Robinson, Deputy Director of Low Carbon Fuels at the Department for Transport, said: “The UK wants to be an international leader in the transition to SAF, which is a crucial element of the UK aviation industry’s decarbonisation ambitions. The UK SAF Clearing House will accelerate the testing of fuels by streamlining the process, in order to help companies get the qualification for use they need.”

“The UK SAF Clearing House will reduce the bottleneck in testing, ensuring a greater availability of SAF from a diverse range of feedstocks, which will enable the UK to achieve its target of 10 per cent SAF by 2030 and will also help with creation of new jobs and skills in this innovative green sector.”      

Anthony Browne, Minister for Aviation and Decarbonisation of Transport, said: "As the UK SAF industry goes from strength to strength, it’s important it also has the capabilities to test the fuel being made, making the transition from the labs to the sky faster and easier than ever before. Funded by the UK Government, the SAF Clearing House at the University of Sheffield is making greener flying a global reality, accelerating crucial testing, removing barriers for overseas investment and keeping the UK at the centre of the global SAF industry.”

Sujith Kollamthodi, Director of Policy, Strategy & Economics at Ricardo, said: “The new UK SAF Clearing House is a step in the right direction towards a leaner and greener aviation sector in the UK. It joins other UK Government initiatives for the sector alongside the Advanced Fuels Fund, plans for a SAF revenue certainty scheme and backing for the world’s first transatlantic flight using 100 per cent SAF. We are proud that Ricardo experts are applying their renowned expertise in policy, strategy and the safe implementation of new sustainable technologies to this world-leading initiative which can accelerate the decarbonisation of the global aviation industry.”

Professor Chris Lewis from the University of Sheffield, Director of UK SAF Clearing House, said: “It is great to see there is now a lot of activity in the development of SAF, however the increase in a diverse range of raw materials and processes means a major shift in the industry, which is both an opportunity to reduce aviation emissions and presents a challenge to get these increasingly diverse SAF products to market. 

“The UK SAF Clearing House, in cooperation with the EU and US Clearing Houses, will provide technical advice and information, funding to support with testing, and help in understanding how the industry works, as well as helping producers engage with the industry in a positive way. We are delighted to announce we are open for business, so please do come and talk to us.” 

For key clients including fuel producers, aerospace original equipment manufacturers, airlines and airports, the UK SAF Clearing House is a free-at-the-point-of-use service that will support fuel producers. It will work in collaboration with other international clearing houses and coordinate a programme of fuel qualification with the support of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). 

Now officially open to applications, the UK SAF Clearing House is calling for any stakeholders, primarily fuel producers, to reach out via its website or the contact email for any queries in relation to the development, testing and qualification of sustainable aviation fuels.

To find out more about the UK SAF Clearing House, visit: www.safclearinghouse.uk or email: info@safclearinghouse.uk