LanzaJet, Inc., a global leader in sustainable fuel technology and production, has awarded the Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) contract for Project Speedbird to Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR). The project represents a major step toward advancing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production in the United Kingdom, according to the press release.
Commercial-Scale SAF Facility Backed by British Airways
Developed with the support of British Airways, Project Speedbird will be a commercial-scale ethanol-to-SAF facility located in Teesside, UK. Once operational, it will produce more than 90,000 tonnes (30 million gallons) of sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel annually. The initiative is expected to reduce British Airways’ CO₂ emissions by approximately 230,000 tonnes each year—equivalent to the emissions from 26,000 domestic flights.
“Project Speedbird is the next commercial-scale facility in our portfolio that we are developing in close collaboration with British Airways,” said Jimmy Samartzis, CEO of LanzaJet. “This project marks an important step in scaling our sustainable fuels technology, and partnering with a globally recognized EPC company like Fluor Corporation underscores our commitment to world-class project execution.”
Economic Boost and Government Support
The Teesside-based project is expected to bring significant economic benefits to the North East region of England, creating hundreds of jobs during both construction and operation. The UK Government has also awarded the project £10 million ($13 million) through its Advanced Fuels Fund, recognizing its potential to accelerate the nation’s clean aviation transition.
Fluor Corporation’s Role and Global Impact
Fluor Corporation will provide engineering, procurement, and design expertise for the FEED stage of the project. “Project Speedbird marks a pivotal advancement in the global effort to decarbonize aviation,” said Mike Alexander, Group President of Project Execution at Fluor. “By driving the adoption of sustainable fuel technologies, this initiative will help redefine the future of flight. Fluor is proud to contribute our engineering expertise to this visionary project.”
Innovative Alcohol-to-Jet Technology
Project Speedbird will utilize LanzaJet’s patented Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) technology, a fully integrated solution that converts low-carbon ethanol into sustainable aviation fuel. The same technology is already being deployed commercially at LanzaJet’s Freedom Pines Fuels facility in Georgia, USA, further validating its scalability and performance.
