Topsoe has signed a Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) agreement with Carbon Neutral Fuels (CNF) to deploy its solid oxide electrolyzer cells (SOEC) technology for Project Starling, marking the first commercial application of Topsoe’s SOEC in e-SAF production.
Key Takeaways
- First Commercial Use: The deal represents the debut of Topsoe’s SOEC technology in the commercial SAF sector.
- Capacity Targets: Project Starling aims to produce 25,000 metric tons of e-SAF annually once fully operational in 2031.
- Government Backing: The facility secured a £6 million grant from the UK Department for Transport’s Advanced Fuel Fund in July 2025.
- Efficiency Gains: Topsoe’s SOEC units offer approximately 20-30% higher efficiency compared to standard alkaline or PEM technologies.
Project Starling and UK Decarbonization Located in Workington, UK, Project Starling is a Power-to-Liquid e-fuel facility designed to support the UK government’s Jet Zero Strategy. The project utilizes renewable electricity and Topsoe’s modular SOEC design to generate green hydrogen, a critical feedstock for e-SAF.
The electrolyzer stacks will be manufactured at Topsoe’s facility in Herning, Denmark. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2028, pending a Final Investment Decision (FID) by CNF. Once operational, the plant is projected to reduce lifecycle emissions by 89% compared to fossil jet fuel.
Executive Commentary Sundus Cordelia Ramli, CCO of Power-to-X at Topsoe, highlighted the strategic importance of the partnership:
“Incorporating our SOEC technology into Carbon Neutral Fuels’ SAF project is a moment of significant pride for Topsoe. Carbon Neutral Fuels is at the frontier of the UK’s decarbonization ambitions… We’re pleased to have them onboard as our first SOEC customer for commercial SAF production.”
Alasdair Lumsden, Co-Founder at Carbon Neutral Fuels, emphasized the technical validation:
“The levels of data and research backing the efficacy of their technologies were instrumental in building confidence in their product, and we look forward to doing our share in regards to the decarbonization of the aviation sector.”
Bioenergy Business Analysis: For industry investors, this agreement signals a critical shift in hydrogen production economics for aviation. While Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) and Alkaline electrolyzers have dominated the market, Topsoe’s SOEC technology operates at higher temperatures, delivering greater hydrogen output per unit of power. By achieving a 20% to 30% efficiency advantage, SOEC technology directly addresses the high electricity costs that currently hamper the scalability of Power-to-Liquid (PtL) fuels. This deployment serves as a litmus test for the viability of high-efficiency electrolysis in lowering the Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) for the SAF sector.
