SAF pioneer targets commercial take-off

A Teesside-based sustainable aviation fuel pioneer has moved closer to commercial production after successful endurance trials of technology designed to turn waste biomass into low-carbon fuel.

Nova Pangaea Technologies completed the trials at its Wilton demonstration plant, achieving stable continuous production runs of up to 72 hours and yields above target.

The company’s REFNOVA process converts waste materials including wood chips, sawdust and wheat straw into ethanol, which can subsequently be upgraded into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel.

It also produces biochar, which permanently stores carbon and enables Nova Pangaea to describe the overall process as carbon negative.

The latest trials used softwood residues from timber processing, with multiple runs processing up to three tonnes of feedstock each day.

They build on smaller-scale trials carried out in early 2025, which demonstrated the technology beyond laboratory conditions.

Further testing is planned next year to refine the design of Nova Pangaea’s first commercial-scale facility, with the company now preparing to raise additional investment to progress the plant.

The technology is also central to Project Speedbird, Nova Pangaea’s collaboration with British Airways and LanzaJet, supported by the UK Government.

Under the initiative, Nova Pangaea plans to build four UK facilities producing bioethanol from locally sourced waste for conversion into SAF.

Stewart Stewart, chief executive of Nova Pangaea, said: “The latest trials have validated our technology and should further underpin the confidence of investors on our journey towards building our first commercial plant.”

The company says alternative feedstocks will become increasingly important as airlines face rising requirements to use sustainable fuel.

UK and EU rules require SAF to account for a growing proportion of aviation fuel, potentially reaching 70 per cent by 2050.

Currently, much of the supply relies on used cooking oil, a feedstock Nova Pangaea says is too limited to satisfy future demand.

The company points to International Air Transport Association estimates suggesting Europe, including the UK, could have enough waste biomass available by 2030 to produce around 30 million tonnes of SAF.

Stewart added: “The SAF industry is currently at a critical point. 

“Demand is increasing and supply chain shocks such as in the Middle East show the need to find an alternative to fossil fuels, yet aviation is currently reliant on SAF from a single feedstock, which will not be enough to meet growing SAF demand.

“Nova Pangaea’s tried and tested technology offers a genuine alternative. 

“By tapping into the plentiful supplies of waste biomass, we can boost SAF production – enhancing our energy security and building a new domestic industry that generates jobs and revenues while reducing fossil fuel emissions.”

Nova Pangaea has raised more than £21 million to date, with investors including International Airlines Group, PXN Ventures and Mercia Ventures, alongside UK Government grant support.

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