Irish direct air capture specialist NEG8 Carbon has secured a contract to begin Phase 1 of a significant UK initiative aimed at producing sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) on a commercial scale using low-carbon energy. The agreement marks a major step toward making large-volume, economically viable eSAF a reality, an essential milestone for cutting emissions across the aviation sector, according to the press release.
Under the plan, CO₂ captured directly from the atmosphere will be combined with green hydrogen and electricity generated from nuclear power. This combination will create eSAF through an advanced conversion process. The resulting fuel is expected to cut emissions by more than 90% compared with conventional jet fuel while meeting global regulatory requirements for sustainable aviation fuels.
As per the press release, the project, named Eq.flight, is being led by Equilibrion, a company championing the use of small and advanced modular nuclear reactors to decarbonise air travel. Equilibrion received £1 million in funding for the project’s first phase through the UK Department for Transport’s Advanced Fuel Fund (AFF). The AFF is allocating £63 million to 17 clean-aviation projects in 2025, bringing total government investment in the sector to £198 million since 2022.
NEG8 Carbon’s DAC system is especially well-matched to Eq.flight, as it operates efficiently using low-carbon heat and power from nuclear energy, reducing operational costs while boosting overall performance.
“Our involvement in this project places NEG8 Carbon at the forefront of producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel derived from Direct Air Capture,” said Ray Naughton, the company’s Founder and Managing Director. “EU and UK mandates are rapidly increasing the required share of SAF, up to 70% in the EU by 2050, which will expand the global SAF market to an estimated $400 billion. NEG8 Carbon is now well positioned to play a significant role in that future.”
Equilibrion co-founders Philip Rogers and Caroline Longman emphasised their commitment to reshaping the aviation industry through nuclear-powered fuel production. “By harnessing low-carbon nuclear heat and electricity, we can help airlines offer cleaner flights worldwide. Power-to-liquids technologies supported by advanced reactors could deliver the scale needed to meaningfully reduce aviation’s climate impact.”
What Is Direct Air Capture (DAC)?
Direct Air Capture removes CO₂ directly from the atmosphere. NEG8 Carbon’s approach uses high-capacity fans to pull air through a proprietary, low-cost extraction system that separates and captures carbon dioxide. The captured CO₂ can then be stored underground or reused in various industrial processes.
What Is eSAF?
While SAF can come from many different sustainable feedstocks, eSAF is produced specifically from air-captured CO₂ combined with green hydrogen. DAC is unique in its ability to supply the large volumes of clean CO₂ required for eSAF production—potentially at the million-tonne scale needed at fuel-manufacturing sites.
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