IAG is investing in Wastefront to boost sustainable aviation fuel production, creating jobs and reducing carbon emissions in the UK
Sunderland: IAG, the airline group, is putting money into Wastefront to help build a new plant. This facility will be the largest of its kind in the UK, turning old tyres into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). It’s a big deal for the North-East, promising over 100 local jobs.
The plant aims to recycle up to 10 million used tyres each year. They’ll convert these tyres into oil, which will then be refined into SAF. This process is expected to cut carbon emissions by over 80% compared to traditional fuels. Pretty impressive, right?
Operations are set to kick off in 2026, with full production expected the following year. The UK generates around 50 million end-of-life tyres annually, and most of them are currently shipped off to places like India for incineration or dumped in landfills. This new facility could change that.
Wastefront’s plant is crucial for meeting the UK’s SAF targets. The government has mandated that by 2030, at least 10% of jet fuel used in flights from the UK must come from sustainable sources, increasing to 22% by 2040. That’s a tall order!
To hit the 2030 target, the UK needs to produce 1.2 million tonnes of SAF each year. That’s nearly 20 times what they’re expected to produce this year. Jonathon Counsell from IAG expressed pride in supporting innovators like Wastefront, emphasizing the need for more SAF production in the UK.
Vianney Valès, Wastefront’s CEO, highlighted their mission to turn waste into a valuable resource. They can produce SAF at a competitive cost while keeping environmental impact low. This investment shows the potential of their technology to tackle waste and pollution.
IAG’s investment aligns with its goal to cut carbon emissions across its airlines, including British Airways and Aer Lingus. They’ve already secured a significant portion of their SAF target for 2030 and were the first European airline group to commit to 10% SAF usage by that year.
Wastefront has also partnered with Gateway Resources for a steady supply of end-of-life tyres for their Sunderland site. By 2030, they plan to have four large plants producing a total of 128,000 tonnes of oil each year, which will be converted into SAF.
