Fluor Corp. (Irving, Tex.) has been awarded a contract by LanzaJet, for the front-end engineering and design of a pioneering sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production hub in North Yorkshire, England. The initiative, named Project Speedbird, is a joint development between LanzaJet and British Airways. Fluor will recognize the undisclosed contract value in the third quarter.
“Project Speedbird marks a pivotal advancement in the global effort to decarbonize aviation,” said Mike Alexander, Group President, Project Execution, Fluor Corporation. “By accelerating the adoption of sustainable fuel technologies, this project will help redefine the future of flight. Fluor is proud to bring our engineering and design expertise to this visionary initiative.”
The project will leverage LanzaJet’s Alcohol-to-Jet technology to transform second-generation ethanol, sourced from agricultural residues and woody biomass, into SAF. British Airways will utilize this SAF to cut carbon emissions by approximately 230,000 tonnes annually, equivalent to the emissions from 26,000 domestic flights.
“Project Speedbird is the next commercial scale facility in our portfolio that LanzaJet is developing, working closely with British Airways,” said Jimmy Samartzis, CEO of LanzaJet. “It is an important step in the continued scale-up of our leading sustainable fuels technology. Partnering with the globally recognized engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) company Fluor Corporation shows our commitment to the highest standards in project execution.”
Located in Teesside, UK, the facility will produce more than 90,000 tonnes (30 million gallons) of SAF and renewable diesel annually. The site was selected for its strategic location, advanced infrastructure and access to a skilled workforce.