UK-first aviation fuel testing centre delivers first results in push for greener flights

The University of Sheffield has announced a major milestone in the push for greener aviation as it produces its first report from testing a new sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The research, from Sheffield's Energy Innovation Centre, is helping support the faster rollout of low-carbon jet fuels, so more people can enjoy greener flights when taking a city break, summer holiday or travelling for business.

The work could also help to ease the pressure on the future supply of jet fuel in response to geopolitical events such as the ongoing crisis in the Middle East by boosting UK SAF production.

Sheffield's Energy Innovation Centre is supporting UK fuel producers in developing new sustainable aviation fuel to reduce the environmental impact of air travel, the University said in a release on Wednesday.

One such fuel producer is Green Lizard Technologies, which is developing SAF in Teesside.

Sheffield's Energy Innovation Centre is the UK's first facility that can both test emerging fuels and provide in-depth analysis and feedback, drawing on the University's academic expertise to help fuel producers determine whether they have a viable product.

The centre has now provided its first such fuel testing report for Green Lizard Technologies, enabling them to move their new low-carbon jet fuel forward towards commercial production.

Dr Ehsan Alborzi, Senior Research Fellow in Aviation Fuels at the Energy Innovation Centre (EIC), University of Sheffield, said: ''The state-of-the-art testing laboratory we have at Sheffield is supporting efforts to power more flights with low-carbon jet fuel, so that more of the flights people take for holidays, city breaks or business trips are flying on sustainable aviation fuel.''.

Hansini Rathnayake, Laboratory Manager at the Energy Innovation Centre, University of Sheffield said: ''We expect demand for our testing service to grow as the aviation sector intensifies its focus on decarbonisation and also looks to ease the pressure on jet fuel supplies. As more companies look to bring sustainable aviation fuels to market, there is a need for robust, independent testing and analysis to advance their development, and we are well placed to support that demand.''.

Dr Martin Atkins, CEO & Co-Founder of Green Lizard Technologies, said: ''Our close partnership with the University of Sheffield has helped us successfully complete jet engine testing and better understand the components of our fuel. This is key to meeting certification standards and gives us the data we need to attract investors and expand our technology globally.''.

Sustainable aviation fuels are produced from renewable or waste-derived sources and can significantly lower carbon emissions compared with traditional jet fuel. However, their adoption has been slowed by the complexity and cost of testing and certification.

The testing laboratory at Sheffield addresses this gap by offering a single, integrated service that supports fuel developers from early testing through to evidence needed for regulatory approval.

Technical details on the fuel testing process -- the scope and complexity of the work with Green Lizard Technologies were substantial, the project comprised a full technical assessment of a Fischer-Tropsch Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (FT-SPK) sample against the requirements of ASTM D7566 Annex A1, including a wide-ranging programme of physical, chemical and compositional testing, supported by detailed data analysis and compliance evaluation.

The work was undertaken using state-of-the-art facilities in EIC's aviation fuel characterisation lab. For the chemical composition analysis, a cutting-edge Multi Dimensional Gas Chromatography with dual detectors (FID and MS) was used.

Requiring only a tiny amount of fuel (1ml), this instrument separates the fuel into individual components before determining their full chemistry and characteristics.

The results were then processed, analysed and compiled in a comprehensive report that will allow Green Lizard Technologies to continue through the approval pathways needed to commercialise their new fuel.

The feedback delivered by the EIC's fuel experts offered a custom approach to the results, including offering advice on limitations and areas for improvement, as well as context of the wider fuels landscape, and advice for next steps.

This process showcases the EIC's capacity to support early-stage fuel producers with certification-aligned analytical research using advanced techniques, and establishes newly-developed, specialised service offering within the sustainable aviation fuel sector.

Reflecting the University's commitment to independent thinking and a shared ambition, the sustainable aviation fuel testing demonstrates how creative minds at Sheffield are shaping solutions to global challenges.

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