Alfanar and N+P Group have announced a partnership to source and process “up to 1 million tonnes” of non-recyclable waste from local authorities and waste companies per year.
The global project developer and engineering construction company, Alfanar and Dutch-based N+P which specialises in converting non-recyclable waste to fuels are developing a £1.5bn waste-to-sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) facility – the Lighthouse Green Fuels project – in Teesside, which they call the biggest waste-to-SAF project in the world.
The partners say the joint venture will require the equivalent of the amount of waste produced by Birmingham and the wider West Midland Metropolitan Area every year. The waste will be used to create feedstock pellets which can then be used to produce SAF.
To process the waste, the partners say “up to three” further processing facilities will be built across the country – with locations dependent on where the waste is sourced from.
They continues that everyday non-recyclable household and business rubbish, contaminated recycling loads and MRF (Material Recycling Facility) residues can all be sorted by N+P for use in the process, instead of being sent to landfill, burnt in incinerators or exported.
SAF delivers 80% greenhouse gas lifecycle emissions savings compared to conventional kerosene.
Recyclable and inert materials will be removed before the waste is dried and turned into high-carbon content pellets, the partners say. The pellets will then be converted into SAF at Alfanar’s Lighthouse Green Fuels facility in Teesside, which is due to be operational in 2028 and, the organisation says, will create over 1,000 jobs during construction before employing 240 people when operational.
The partners say the project will produce 165 million litres of SAF per year. Alfanar and N+P are now actively seeking waste feedstock suppliers from across the UK.
Noaman Al Adhami, Country Head UK, Alfanar, commented: “SAF delivers 80% greenhouse gas lifecycle emissions savings compared to conventional kerosene, but fuel produced at our facility will deliver up to 200% savings with access to Teesside’s Carbon Capture and Storage infrastructure.
“This means Lighthouse Green Fuels will not only be the biggest SAF production facility in the UK when operational, but the UK’s first negative emissions SAF project, and therefore a critical contributor to the UK Government’s 2030 SAF targets.
“With the third largest aviation network in the world, a third of Europe’s carbon storage capacity, and readily available waste feedstock, the UK is perfectly positioned to be a world leader in SAF production. We look forward to making this a reality by delivering this project, and others that will follow.”
