Sustainable aviation fuel project moves forward at Stanlow refinery

Essar Energy Transition has completed an important early stage in plans to build one of the United Kingdom’s largest sustainable aviation fuel plants at the Stanlow refinery in northwest England.

image: Essar Stanlow Terminal

The company said the project has successfully finished its pre-engineering design phase, known as Pre-FEED, which assessed whether the planned facility is technically and commercially viable. The next stage of detailed engineering work is expected to begin later this year, with a final investment decision targeted for 2028.

The proposed plant would turn renewable methanol into sustainable aviation fuel, a lower-carbon alternative to traditional jet fuel. Essar said the facility could produce more than 200,000t of fuel each year, using around 550,000t of renewable and bio-based methanol feedstock.

The project would be integrated into the existing Stanlow refinery, allowing the fuel to be blended and distributed through existing fuel pipelines and transport systems serving major United Kingdom airports. The company said this would reduce the need for new infrastructure and help speed up delivery to airlines.

Sustainable aviation fuel is seen by governments and airlines as one of the main ways to reduce carbon emissions from flying, particularly on long-haul routes. The UK government has introduced targets requiring an increasing share of aviation fuel to come from sustainable sources by 2040, but sustainable aviation fuel is currently more expensive than conventional jet fuel and global supply is limited.