Exolum Invests in UK’s First Independent SAF Blending Facility

(Biomass Magazine) Exolum, Europe’s leading energy logistics company, on Oct. 15 announced its decision to invest £4.5 million in creating the U.K.’s first independent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blending facility at Redcliffe Bay in south-west England, as part of new plans for a U.K.-wide network of SAF blending hubs.

The announcement comes as the U.K.’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill, which creates new subsidies for SAF production, progresses to its next stage in Parliament. SAF is a ‘drop-in’ biofuel that is blended with conventional aviation fuel and used in airplanes without modification, to reduce the carbon emissions of flying.

By blending customers’ SAF into Exolum’s national aviation fuel pipeline network, the investment will boost green aviation fuel supplies to airports across southern England and Wales, including those at Heathrow, Gatwick, Bristol, Exeter and Cardiff.

The company is also announcing that the facility will be the first of a new U.K.-wide network of SAF blending hubs it plans as part of its 2,000km pipeline network, creating a SAF Superhighway that will provide SAF producers and importers with market access to the jet fuel for 40% of flights leaving the U.K.’s airports.

Expected to be operational from 2026, the initial investment at Redcliffe Bay will support the greening of the equivalent of up to 64,741 flights from London to New York a year, supporting the U.K.’s position as a global leader in green aviation.

The plans will enable long-term green investment in SAF production plants across the U.K. and, in the case of Redcliffe Bay, south-west of England and southern Wales, by providing a crucial, independent route to market for when they become operational, which is expected later this decade.

Unblended SAF will initially be delivered by ships to Bristol’s Royal Portbury Dock, before being transported to Exolum’s Redcliffe Bay site by pipeline. It will then be stored and blended on-site with conventional aviation fuel, to create the ready-to-use ‘drop-in’ fuel that is then distributed by Exolum’s national pipeline system.

The project includes several infrastructure upgrades to Exolum’s existing aviation fuel pipeline storage and pumping station at Redcliffe Bay, on the banks of the Severn Estuary near Bristol. The plans include:

Exolum North West Europe Lead, Stephen Land, says, "Exolum’s investment at Redcliffe Bay is turning the U.K.’s ambitions for greener flights into reality, whilst helping secure the country’s world-leading position at the forefront of global sustainable aviation.

“The U.K.’s twin commitments to airport expansion and to increasing SAF supplies have been crucial in ensuring that, and we’re looking forward to not only supporting greener aviation but also the growth of the U.K.’s sustainable fuels industry.”

U.K. Department for Transport Aviation Minister, Keir Mather MP, says, “I’m excited to see the rollout of Exolum’s SAF network, which will help support regional jobs across the country and is another major vote of confidence in our SAF polices including the SAF Bill, which is back in Parliament for its third reading.”

“We're also investing £63 million to support the production of homegrown SAF which, alongside our mandate to increase the supply of SAF in aviation fuel to U.K. flights, will drive demand for greener fuels and support jobs in the U.K."

Sadik Al Hassan MP, sustainable aviation champion and MP for North Somerset, says, “Exolum’s £4.5 million investment in their Redcliffe Bay facility marks a significant boost for North Somerset, helping support new technical jobs across the sustainable aviation supply chain in southwest England, whilst advancing the U.K.’s leadership in green aviation.

“Their vision for a sustainable aviation fuel ‘superhighway’ links delivery hubs to where the green fuel is needed most across the country, making the region more attractive for green investment in sustainable fuel production. It’s a clear signal that the green transition isn’t just possible but here.”

Dave Lees, CEO of Bristol Airport, says, “It’s fantastic to see this investment in our region, with blending facilities being a vital part of the future SAF supply chain that we need to decarbonize aviation. We’ve committed to working with our airline customers to meet the U.K.’s SAF mandate as part of our aim to be a net zero airport by 2050.” READ MORE