Exolum invests in UK’s first independent SAF blending facility
October 17, 2025
European logistics company Exolum on Oct. 15 announced its decision to invest £4.5 million in creating the U.K.’s first independent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blending facility at Redcliffe Bay in south-west England.
Drax, the renewable energy business, is partnering with NGIS, a global leader in geospatial technology, to model and monitor the carbon stocks of the U.S. and Canadian forests that Drax sources its sustainable biomass from.
LanzaJet Inc. has been awarded more than $13 million (£10 million) from the U.K. Department for Transport’s Advanced Fuels Fund to accelerate development of Project Speedbird, a major SAF biorefinery in Teesside, U.K.
Oftem and Drax Power Ltd. on Sept. 16 announced the appointment of Forvis Mazars to conduct an independent external audit of Drax’s annual profile data and associated reporting for the compliance period spanning April 1, 2023, through March 31, 2024.
Drax on Aug. 28 announced that the U.K. Finance Conduct Authority has begun an investigation into certain historical statements regarding the company’s biomass sourcing. The FCA confirmed the announcement but did not provide additional details.
The U.K. government has released data showing energy production from biomass and waste sources fell by 4.7% during the first quarter of 2025 when compared to the same period of 2024. Total primary energy production for the quarter was down 1.5%.
FutureMetrics LLC on June 17 published a white paper discussing how expected changes to U.K. bioenergy subsidies could cause the Drax and Lynemouth Power Stations to consider using thermally treated wood pellets.
The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority on May 30 announced it has accepted a request to evaluate a proposed subsidy for Drax Group plc that aims to provide transitional support for biomass power operations while the company develops BECCS.
The U.K. government on May 16 announced the launch of an independent review of greenhouse gas removals options, including large-scale bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), to consider how GGRs can help meet net-zero targets.
A bill to formally adopt a revenue certainty mechanism to support the production of SAF was introduced in the U.K. Parliament on May 14. The proposed scheme is in the form of a guaranteed strike price.
Drax Group plc on May 1 released a first quarter trading update, reporting strong performance for both its North American-based pellet production and U.K.-based biomass power generation business segments.
The U.K. Trade Remedies Authority on March 17 announced it has initiated an anti-dumping investigation and a countervailing investigation into imports of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), commonly known as renewable diesel, from the U.S.
Ofgem, Great Britain's independent energy regulator, on March 12 issued a statement providing additional details on its investigation into Drax Power Ltd. and how reporting requirements under the U.K. RO apply.
Drax Group plc on Feb. 27 released full year 2024 financial results, reporting strong improvement in operational and financial performance for its North American wood pellet segment. Biomass power generation was also up significantly.
Renewable energy company Drax has announced an enhanced approach to deliver on its global sustainability targets and to enhance the way it manages its impact on the climate, nature and people.
px Group, the operator of several critical infrastructure sites in the U.K. and Europe, has announced it has secured an operations and maintenance (O&M) contract for the Tees Renewable Energy Plant (Tees REP).
The U.K. government on Feb. 10 announced it will move forward with a short-term support mechanism for large-scale biomass generators. The subsidies will provide support for Drax Group plc’s four biomass units post-2027.
The IPCC’s methodology has been reviewed and reaffirmed multiple times since its development in 1995, most recently in 2019. Importantly, it is set independently of industry, by the scientists of the IPCC and governments, according to the U.K. REA.
King Charles announced that the U.K. Parliament will soon introduce a bill to support the production of SAF via a revenue support mechanism during his July 17 speech that formally opened a new session of the British Parliament.
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners has announced an agreement to divest the U.K. biomass heat and power plant, Kent Renewable Energy Plant, to Greenvolt – Energias Renováveis, S.A., a Portugal-based renewables company.
Valmet will deliver a major boiler rebuild to E.ON’s Steven’s Croft biomass power station in Lockerbie, Scotland in the United Kingdom to secure trouble-free operation of the boiler for years to come.
The U.K. government has opened a public comment period as part of its effort to avoid market manipulation caused by overlapping domestic and international incentives for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other low carbon fuels.
Drax Group plc released 2023 financial results on Feb. 29, reporting its pellet production segment achieved robust performance in a challenging market environment. The company also discussed progress on its BECCS projects in the U.S. and U.K.
New independent analysis by Public First, ‘Mind the gap: Exploring Britain’s energy crunch’, commissioned by Drax Group, reveals that the U.K. will hit an energy security “crunch point” in 2028.
The U.K. government is considering extending subsidies for biomass power producers that plan to develop bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) capacity. A public consultation is open through Feb. 29.
The U.K. government on Jan. 16 approved plans for Drax Power Ltd.’s proposed bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) project that will capture carbon dioxide emissions from up to two existing biomass units at Drax Power Station.
A new report by Development Economics finds that if the U.K. government accelerates and expands the development of CCS clusters across the country it could generate an extra £32 billion of gross value added for the economy from 2050 onward.
Drax Group plc in early October announced that the U.K. government has signaled its intent to allow large-scale BECCS projects to be eligible to participate in an expansion of the Track-1 carbon clustering process.
Biomass continued to be the second largest source of renewable electricity in the U.K. last year, trailing only offshore and onshore wind, according to a report released by the U.K. Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology on Oct. 4.
The U.S. exported 651,698.8 metric tons of wood pellets in July, down from 865,995.4 metric tons the previous month, but up slightly when compared to the 651.104 metric tons exported in July 2022, according to data released by the USDA on Sept. 6.
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