Equilibrion and Rolls-Royce SMR announce collaboration to advance the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel using nuclear energy

(Equilibrion) Equilibrion and Rolls-Royce SMR have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on a technical and economic assessment, to better understand the opportunity for nuclear powered Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) using Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).

The Rolls-Royce SMR is designed to provide clean, reliable cost-competitive energy through its ‘factory-built’ SMR technology. The heat and electricity from a Rolls-Royce SMR power station is well suited to industrial processes, such as hydrogen production and synthetic fuel synthesis, that require consistent energy inputs.

Equilibrion is a UK project development and technology company creating new commercial opportunities for nuclear energy across hard-to-decarbonise industries. Eq.flight is Equilibrion’s proprietary modular system for producing SAF at commercial scale and with lower lifecycle emissions compared to other technologies making it ideal for UK and international deployment.

Eq.flight will produce e-SAF with electricity and heat -also known as power-to-liquids (PtL) SAF – which will contribute to the UK’s SAF Mandate targets. The enhanced efficiency of the system will produce more SAF using less energy and be a key enabler to securing domestic e-SAF production and the associated jobs and economic growth.

Supported by a Department for Transport grant under the Advanced Fuels Fund, Equilibrion and its partners are delivering a world-leading UK-based demonstration of Eq.flight by 2030 to confirm both the technical viability and economic case of the system.

The collaboration explores how Equilibrion’s Eq.flight SAF production system can be powered from Rolls-Royce SMR’s clean, reliable power solution. Together, the technologies have the potential to produce over 160 million litres of SAF per year per Rolls-Royce SMR, meeting around a third of the UK’s 2040 PtL target.

Aviation is one of the fastest-growing sources of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet current SAF supply meet less than 1% of global demand. With UK targets for 22% of aviation fuel to be SAF by 2040, there is a growing demand for meaningful capacity increase. This requires large volumes of low-carbon energy, a need that nuclear technology is uniquely positioned to meet.

Under the agreement, the partners will collaborate to develop a deeper understanding of the technical and economic case for global SAF production solution, optimised with nuclear energy.

The MOU supports national and international net-zero goals, strengthens energy security through domestic fuel production, and aims to enable SAF availability at volumes capable of transforming the aviation sector. Future commercial deployment is expected to support thousands of high-skilled jobs, strengthen UK industrial capability, and accelerate global SAF adoption.

“Aviation will only meet its climate commitments if SAF becomes available in large, dependable volumes. Nuclear‑derived fuel production offers the reliability, scalability and low carbon intensity needed to deliver that future. Delivering nuclear‑enabled SAF also creates long‑term, high‑quality employment—each Eq.flight facility has the potential to generate around 10,000 skilled local jobs over its lifetime.”

“Our SMR technology is designed to provide clean, affordable and dependable low‑carbon energy, exactly the qualities required to unlock large‑scale Sustainable Aviation Fuel production. The technical and economic assessment completed with Equilibrion will enable them to demonstrate how nuclear can power one of the most ambitious decarbonisation challenges in aviation. ”

Equilibrion is a strategic and technical consultancy and project development company accelerating the use of nuclear energy in non-electric applications. Founded in 2022 by Caroline Longman and Philip Rogers, and backed by a growing team of specialists, the company was established to unlock the full potential of nuclear energy and help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Longman and Rogers bring more than 30 years of combined experience delivering major nuclear innovation programmes and advising government on the role of nuclear in decarbonising transport, heat and industry. READ MORE