Hydrogen Utopia Seeks UK Grant for Waste-to-SAF Plant

(Hydrogen Utopia/Fuel Cells Works) Hydrogen Utopia International PLC (LSE: HUI), a pioneering company transforming non-recyclable waste plastic into hydrogen, clean fuels and advanced materials, focusing on advanced fuels such as jet fuel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel is delighted to announce that it's UK subsidiary, HUI Advanced Fuels Limited ("HUI Advanced Fuels"), has submitted an application to the UK Department for Transport's Low Carbon Fuels Fund (LCFF), seeking grant support for its proposed UK waste-to-sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) facility.

HUI Advanced Fuels' proposed facility will address one of the UK's most persistent waste problems -- difficult-to-recycle plastics -- by converting unrecyclable waste plastics into SAF.

The proposed process employed is built on two principal technology providers, one responsible for the gasifier section converting the waste plastics to syngas, and the other responsible for the syngas cleaning, liquids synthesis and upgrading section, which converts the syngas to SAF. The technology providers are expected to provide performance guarantees for the front-end and back-end sections of the process respectively.

In support of the proposed project's commercial development, HUI Advanced Fuels has secured letters of support from experienced engineering and project delivery organisations and consultancy firms covering feedstock supply, fuel offtake, utilities and land and has secured a letter of support from an experienced technical partner to lead the engineering and delivery of the proposed project.

A feasibility study of the facility has been completed, as well as independent due diligence of the front-end gasification technology. In addition, a roadmap has been developed to progress the development of the facility through the phases of Front-End Loading, towards a Final Investment Decision.

The SAF from the proposed facility is expected to contribute to the government's objectives to decarbonise the aviation sector, traditionally a hard-to-abate sector. In addition, the proposed facility is expected to generate economic activity in the north-east of the UK, resulting in direct and indirect job opportunities and skills development of the local workforce.

The feasibility study and the associated roadmap support HUI's directors' confidence in progressing the project to its next stage of development.

Funding sought through the Low Carbon Fuels Fund would support the project's next phases: front end engineering, site surveys, planning and environmental consents, and progressing the contractual negotiations towards Final Investment Decision.

There can be no certainty that the application will be successful or that any grant funding will be awarded.

The proposed facility forms part of HUI's twin-track development strategy, under which the Company is progressing project opportunities in parallel across the UK and the MENA region. Such a dual-market approach widens HUI's route to deployment, enables it to move across jurisdictions with different regulatory, feedstock and offtake dynamics, and reduces its dependence on the pace of any single market.

The Low Carbon Fuels Fund represents a significant UK Government initiative to scale domestic sustainable aviation fuel production, with up to £219 million available over four years, with £93 million available to successful bidders in its first two years. It builds on the Advanced Fuels Fund, which has already directed £198 million towards cleaner aviation technologies since 2022, and is deliberately weighted towards projects nearest to production, rather than those still at the concept stage. Underpinning the fund is the UK's SAF mandate, which requires an increasing proportion of jet fuel to be sustainable, rising to 10% by 2030 and 22% by 2040.

Aleksandra Binkowska, Chief Executive Officer of Hydrogen Utopia International PLC, commented: "Since we first turned our attention to SAF production in the United Kingdom in April, we've been genuinely impressed by the progress we've made on this project. The UK has really proven itself as a powerhouse in sustainable aviation fuel field, a combination of supportive policies and real commitment to backing companies in this space is quite remarkable.

I want to extend sincere thanks to Duncan and his entire team. I'm also deeply grateful to all the major companies who provided us with letters of support. Their backing has made a real difference in pulling this application together.

I do wish other parts of the world would match this commitment to creating a better planet for all of us."

Duncan Snelling, CEO of HUI Advanced Fuels Limited, commented:, "HUI fully supports the transition towards net zero, and recognises the UK Government's support via the SAF Mandate and the Low Carbon Fuels Fund.

Submitting our application to the LCFF is an important step to enable HUI Advanced Fuels Limited to progress through the pre-FEED and FEED phases of the project, de-risking the project to the point where a Final Investment Decision may be taken. We look forward to collaborating with DfT through the funding process."

HUI aims to become one of the leading new companies specialising in converting non-recyclable mixed waste plastic into hydrogen and other carbon-free fuels, new materials or distributed renewable heat.   

A HUI facility uses non-recyclable mixed waste plastic as feedstock and turns it into syngas from which new products and energy can be produced. HUI anticipates that its revenues will be derived from a variety of sources, dependent upon location and configuration of the HUI facilities, including the sale of syngas, hydrogen and other gases, electricity and heat sales, and the payment to it of fees for a given quantity of non-recyclable mixed waste plastic received at a HUI facility.  

HUI will target areas where there is significant private sector interest or potential, financial backing is accessible and or where substantial government funded sources of grants and loans are or may be available. The global increase in fossil fuel-based energy prices reinforces the need for alternative, price competitive energy sources, which HUI's business model can provide.   READ MORE