Equilibrion and Rolls Royce have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop British sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production through nuclear power.
The Rolls Royce small modular reactor (SMR) can support the deployment of cost-effective, sustainable energy. Equilibrion’s proprietary Eq.flight SAF production system, meanwhile, is designed to minimise energy use during the SAF production process. Each Rolls Royce SMR has the potential to produce 160 million litres of SAF a year, representing a significant contribution to the UK’s SAF target, set at 22% of aviation fuel by 2040.
Caroline Longman, Director at Equilibrion, said:
Aviation will only meet its climate commitments if SAF becomes available in large, dependable volumes. Nuclear‑derived fuel production offers the reliability, scalability and low carbon intensity needed to deliver that future. Delivering nuclear‑enabled SAF also creates long‑term, high‑quality employment—each Eq.flight facility has the potential to generate around 10,000 skilled local jobs over its lifetime.
IATA has previously warned that SAF production systems are lagging far behind what is necessary to meet net-zero targets, with supply meeting only 1% of global demand. Nuclear-powered production would not only accelerate the supply chain but lower the carbon footprint of the entire SAF process. Alan Woods, Director of Strategy and Business Development for Rolls-Royce SMR, addded:
Our SMR technology is designed to provide clean, affordable and dependable low‑carbon energy, exactly the qualities required to unlock large‑scale Sustainable Aviation Fuel production. The technical and economic assessment completed with Equilibrion will enable them to demonstrate how nuclear can power one of the most ambitious decarbonisation challenges in aviation.
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