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Altalto (Immingham) Limited, backed by the UK government’s £27 million funding, advances its waste-to-sustainable aviation fuel project, promising to cut emissions and power over 500 transatlantic flights a year with the country’s most advanced commercial-scale facility.
Altalto (Immingham) Limited, a subsidiary of Velocys, has received funding from the UK Department for Transport’s Advanced Fuels Fund to advance the Basic Engineering Design of its flagship waste-to-sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) facility. The project aims to produce 30 million litres of SAF annually, derived from residual waste streams, enough to power over 500 flights between London and New York each year. This initiative is positioned as the UK’s most advanced commercial-scale municipal solid waste-to-SAF plant and one of the closest to realisation globally.
The funding enables Altalto to integrate NEXTCHEM’s NX Circular™ gasification and NX CPO™ technology with Velocys’ proven microFTL™ Fischer–Tropsch synthesis solution. These technologies collectively transform residual waste into SAF while reducing over 100,000 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions annually. This reduction supports the UK’s SAF Mandate, which mandates that 10% of jet fuel consumed must come from sustainable sources by 2030. The project has secured planning consent and all key technological partners, including waste supply, gasification, and upgrading systems, aiming to complete the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) phase by early 2026.
Velocys CEO Matthew Viergutz expressed optimism about the project’s progress, highlighting government confidence in the technology. NEXTCHEM’s Managing Director, Fabio Fritelli, emphasised the flexibility and validity of their technological approach in meeting the decarbonisation needs of the aviation sector.
Additional context from Velocys indicates that the Altalto Immingham project targets a production capacity of 20 million gallons (approximately 75.7 million litres) of SAF annually, with an estimated greenhouse gas reduction of 150% compared to conventional jet fuel. The SAF produced is projected to save around 350,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year, which is a significant climate impact. Planning consent has been granted, and the project already secured £27 million from the Advanced Fuels Fund to support the FEED phase. The SAF output cited by Velocys elsewhere suggests the initial figures may evolve or refer to different phases or measurements, with a broader aim to power over 1,000 London-to-New York flights per year.
The financial underpinning includes a £27 million grant from the Department for Transport, contingent upon matched private sector funding, with a first tranche expected in April 2023. The construction phase is anticipated to begin in 2025, with commissioning set for 2027. This timeline aligns with broader governmental objectives under the £165 million Advanced Fuels Fund to stimulate the commercial deployment of innovative fuel production technologies, supporting at least five commercial-scale SAF plants under construction in the UK by 2025.
Velocys has also benefited from earlier funding rounds, including a £2.4 million grant under the Green Fuels, Green Skies competition to support project development, and a £2.5 million grant aimed at leveraging its technology in a related UK e-fuels project, which focuses on producing sustainable aviation fuel from carbon dioxide and hydrogen. This latter project, titled ‘e-Alto’, involves partners such as Clariant Catalysts, Technip Energies, and British Airways, showcasing Velocys’ broader commitment to advancing various sustainable fuel pathways within the UK aviation sector.
Together, these developments highlight a growing momentum in the UK’s clean aviation fuel landscape, with Altalto positioned as a key commercial-scale demonstration of waste-to-SAF technology that could play a vital role in the sector’s drive towards net-zero emissions.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative appears to be original, with no substantial matches found in recent publications. The earliest known publication date of similar content is December 2022, indicating that the information is relatively fresh. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. However, the narrative includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. Additionally, the report includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
The direct quotes from Velocys CEO Matthew Viergutz and NEXTCHEM’s Managing Director Fabio Fritelli appear to be original, with no identical matches found in earlier material. This suggests that the quotes are potentially original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative originates from AZoCleantech, a reputable organisation known for its coverage of environmental and technological developments. However, the report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. The reliance on a single source for the narrative raises some concerns about the comprehensiveness and potential biases in the reporting.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
The claims made in the narrative align with known developments in the sustainable aviation fuel sector, and the reported figures are consistent with industry standards. The narrative lacks supporting detail from other reputable outlets, which raises concerns about the comprehensiveness and potential biases in the reporting. The tone and language used are consistent with typical corporate communications, suggesting a level of professionalism and credibility.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative presents original content with direct quotes from key stakeholders in the sustainable aviation fuel sector. While the information is relatively fresh, the reliance on a single source and the inclusion of recycled material raise concerns about the comprehensiveness and potential biases in the reporting. The plausibility of the claims is supported by industry standards, but the lack of supporting detail from other reputable outlets warrants further scrutiny.
