First UK facility for certifying new aviation fuels

The Energy Institute at the University of Sheffield is set to deliver the UK’s Sustainable Aviation Fuels Clearing House – a central hub to coordinate the testing and certification of new sustainable aviation fuels, the institution announced in a press release. 

In the hub, that is expected to open this summer, academics and industry can work together to develop new low and zero-carbon fuels and technologies. The SAF Clearing House is a step towards enabling the UK to bring new fuels to market and help reduce carbon emissions from the aviation industry. 

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UK’s top hub for sustainable aviation

The investment in Sheffield – together with the two research facilities located in the University of Sheffield Innovation District on the border of Sheffield and Rotherham – is establishing South Yorkshire as the UK’s leading R&D hub for sustainable aviation fuels.

Professor Mohamed Pourkashanian, Head of the Energy Institute at the University of Sheffield, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to announce the selection of the Energy Institute at the University of Sheffield as the home of the UK SAF Clearing House. This significant and much-needed addition to the UK’s decarbonisation landscape will help to reduce barriers to SAF delivery, and will take a vital step on the journey to make SAFs a viable solution for the future of aviation.” 

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A promising future in the sector

This news follows the recent announcement that the university is taking part in the first net-zero transatlantic flight, a project with Virgin and a partnership with Boeing. These projects, in combination with their equipment and international, regional and local connections, sees the Energy Institute at the University of Sheffield as one of the first active actors in the emerging sustainable aerospace sector in the UK.