PRESS RELEASE: CATAGEN Launches Sustainable Aviation Fuel Company

CGF production systems will be manufactured off-site and can be deployed close to renewable electricity assets or close to airports where fuel is needed and with minimal disruption to operations.

Using an industrial waste stream and renewable energy, each unit from CGF will be capable of producing 1 million litres of SAF per year, with over 90 per cent reduction in emissions from-well-to-wing compared to fossil jet fuel.

Steven Fitzgerald, Ryanair Director of Sustainability & Finance, added: “Progressing towards our sustainability goals depends on securing scalable and affordable SAF. CATAGEN’s decentralised SAF model allows production to be brought closer to demand, enabling faster deployment and reducing the bottlenecks that slow down traditional SAF projects. We see this as a critical pathway to reducing our emissions while continuing to deliver affordable travel.”

Ken McHutcheon, Supply & Operations Manager, Shell Aviation Ireland, said: “Shell Aviation is committed to scaling sustainable aviation fuel, but the industry needs both volume and speed. CATAGEN’s decentralised, modular approach provides a new way of producing SAF that can complement centralised facilities, shorten timelines, and provide more flexible access to fuel. This model has the potential to reduce reliance on imported SAF, increase energy independence, unlock new markets and accelerate the industry’s journey to net zero.”

Mel Courtney, CEO ClimaHtech Green Flight, added: “The UK has a mandate to have 10% of flights using SAF by 2030, with the EU having a 70% target by 2050. On current supply, these targets are ambitious, with the International Air Transport Association currently estimating demand surpassing 360 million tonnes by 2050, up from 1 million tonnes that were available in 2024.”

“To reach these targets, we need technologies that can be scaled up alongside the development of surrounding infrastructures around airports. In the UK, challenges around energy security have been made clear, hence the push from government to increase our use of renewables in the grid. Our approach to SAF should match this approach and be accessible to the market where it is needed to be deployed.”

“The launch of ClimaHtech Green Flight is the next step in our plan to decarbonise the aviation industry.”

CATAGEN was the first company to submit a SAF sample to the EU SAF Clearing House in 2024 and is progressing through fast-track certification on the ASTM D7566 Annex A1 approved pathway. The company’s pre-production units, supported by the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, are already operational.

CATAGEN’s first-of-a-kind (FOAK) SAF production system will reach commercial operation in a short time horizon, producing 1 million litres of SAF per year. With these offtake partnerships in place, CATAGEN is now positioned to scale a network of decentralised production units worldwide, offering production sites up to 10 million litres. 

The development of CATAGEN’s ClimaHtech E-FUEL GEN and BIOHGEN technologies was supported by The UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio which provides funding for low-carbon technologies and systems and aims to decrease the costs of decarbonisation helping enable the UK to end its contribution to climate change.