GRAMM SAF Project Comes to the Royal Port of Barrow

(GRAMM Energy/OpenPR) GRAMM, a collaborative industry consortium, today (April 17, 2025) announced its application to the UK Advanced Fuels Fund, seeking vital support to accelerate its ground-breaking Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) project. The GRAMM SAF project will catalyse energy transition of the UK aviation industry, while delivering significant economic benefits locally and nationally.

GRAMM's Sustainable Aviation Fuel cuts carbon emissions fourfold beyond the UK SAF Mandate requirements. That enables the project to deliver 53.5% of the UK's 2035 SAF target at the market-leading price. Apart from its positive environmental impact, GRAMM will create 850 new jobs in the North West, bringing economic revitalisation to communities that need it most.

"Advanced Fuels Fund support will propel UK sustainable aviation forward," said Alexander Peschkoff, GRAMM Consortium Lead. "Meeting a significant part of the UK aviation sector's net zero obligations will establish GRAMM as a leading sustainable aviation fuel producer. This project also proves that decarbonisation can tackle climate challenges while driving regional economic growth."

GRAMM's ambitious vision has attracted strong industry backing, particularly from BioTfueL®, a proven end-to-end technology platform developed by IFP Energies Nouvelles together with the Bionext partners, including global energy leader TotalEnergies, technology licensor Axens, and industrial solutions provider thyssenkrupp Uhde. BioTfueL partnership provides world-class expertise and innovation to ensure the project's success, as well as maximizes both environmental and economic benefits.

"The GRAMM SAF project has been built on solid foundations and is comprised of an experienced, diverse team of partners that together can significantly grow UK SAF production while also accelerating local infrastructure development and economic vitalization. Axens is committed to supporting GRAMM SAF projects by bringing the results of a decade long technology development and proof testing at semi-industrial scale. Our support for GRAMM SAF project illustrates Axens partnering spirit and dedication to drive technology innovation into an industrial reality," stated Jacques Rault, EVP Technology at Axens.

The proposed location for the GRAMM SAF project is the Royal Port of Barrow, for which Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK's leading and best-connected port operator, announced an ambitious development masterplan to create an advanced engineering cluster.

The port is also home to another GRAMM project partner - Centrica-owned Spirit Energy, who is planning to repurpose the depleted Morecambe Bay Gas Fields in Barrow into the world-leading MNZ carbon store.

Regional support for the GRAMM SAF project has been equally robust, with assistance from the North West Net Zero Hub, a regional programme dedicated to promoting investment in energy projects; Net Zero North West (NZNW), an industry-led collaboration driving industrial decarbonisation across the North West; and Enterprising Cumbria, the newly established body working to boost economic development throughout Cumbria county.

"GRAMM has assembled a very strong consortium to progress their proposals for a first-of-a-kind large-scale SAF production facility. Support from the Aviation Fuel Fund, if approved, would help the project progress. The North West Net Zero Hub has been pleased to support GRAMM," commented James Johnson, Head of Regional Programme, North West Net Zero Hub. "We recognise the importance of the national policy framework for sustainable aviation fuel, and if successful, the GRAMM project could be a transformative opportunity for the North West, creating substantial job and supply chain opportunities throughout its delivery phases."

Jane Gaston, CEO NZNW, added, "As the home to two of the UK's airports, Net Zero North West recognised in our manifesto the importance of providing a resilient supply of significant volumes of sustainable fuel to support the aviation industry. Our own work in developing the North West Industrial Cluster Plan shows that the North West is uniquely placed to deliver transformational projects such as this. It's therefore no surprise that GRAMM have chosen to target delivery of this project in our region."

The funding from the UK Advanced Fuels Fund, if the application is successful, will enable the GRAMM consortium to move from planning to implementation, making this visionary project a reality. The GRAMM SAF project will position the UK as a world leader in SAF production, accelerating the nation's journey to net zero emissions by 2050.

About GRAMM Consortium
GRAMM is a collaborative industry consortium that is developing large-scale production of carbon-negative Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Project team and consortium partners include leaders in renewable fuel, green hydrogen, sustainable biomass, industrial engineering, carbon capture and sequestration, EPC, critical infrastructure operations, and project management: TotalEnergies, Axens, Linde, KBR, Spirit Energy, Storegga, LWI, Envirosense, px Group and PA Consulting. Target output volume is 250,000 tonnes of SAF, produced from certified agricultural, forestry and processing residue using proven end-to-end BioTfueL technology platform. By capturing and permanently storing 1.5mn tonnes of CO2, GRAMM SAF reduces carbon emissions four times more than the UK SAF Mandate benchmark.

About BioTfueL
The BioTfueL® project was founded in 2010 by six partners, Axens, IFP Energies Nouvelles, TotalEnergies, thyssenkrupp Uhde, Avril, and the CEA, committed to developing an end-to-end solution for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to sustainable fuels via the thermochemical pathway. The consortium managed construction and operation of two demonstration units, one dedicated to biomass pre-processing by torrefaction (Venette) and the other dedicated to gasification and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis steps (Dunkerque) which helped validate and optimize the BioTfueL® technology that is marketed and licensed by Axens.

About North West Net Zero Hub
Created by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in 2018, the North West Net Zero Hub is one of five Local Net Zero Hubs that provide free strategic and technical support to local authorities, public sector organisations, and community groups in England to develop net zero projects. The Hubs take net zero projects from the earliest stages of feasibility to investment and delivery. To find out what support and funding is available in for your Net Zero project, contact us at nwnzhub@liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk, or visit our website for more information: https://localenergynw.org/.

About Net Zero North West
Established in 2020, Net Zero North West (NZNW) is an organisation funded and strategically driven by industry. NZNW is responsible for the oversight of the North West Industrial Cluster Plan, a roadmap to deliver the world's first net zero industrial region by 2040. The Cluster Plan outlines a £30bn investment pathway in a diverse mix of technologies over the near-term, targeted at decarbonising major industrial sectors across the North West and North Wales. This plan has the potential to create 35,000 jobs near term and reduce industrial CO2 emission by 17 million tonnes.

About the UK Advanced Fuels Fund
The Advanced Fuels Fund (AFF) supports the development of UK SAF plants, specifically targeting the capability to produce fuels from sustainable feedstocks such as everyday household and industrial waste, alcohol, carbon captured from the atmosphere and hydrogen made from renewable energy. READ MORE