Avia Solutions Group, the world’s largest aircraft leasing provider, has unveiled plans to construct Northern Europe’s biggest sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant in Liepāja, Latvia, through a joint venture with local partners under the name “NorSAF”.

Set to begin production in 2030, the plant will produce 100,000 tonnes of SAF annually—more than 12 times the current SAF demand across the three Baltic states. With an estimated project cost of €500–600 million, the facility will use PureSAF technology developed by Swedish Biofuels and licensed to U.S. engineering firm KBR. The technology enables SAF and e-SAF production from bioethanol, green hydrogen, and captured CO₂, with potential lifecycle emissions reductions of up to 93%.

Baltic Ground Services, a subsidiary of Avia Solutions Group, will lead the technological implementation, with KBR currently conducting a feasibility study. The project aims to begin construction by 2027, subject to final approvals and investment support.

According to Avia Solutions founder Gediminas Ziemelis, the plant will be key to meeting Europe’s SAF blending mandates, which rise to 6% by 2030 and 70% by 2050, including a growing share of synthetic fuel. The NorSAF plant will help address the global SAF shortfall and support Latvia’s energy independence through local solar, wind, and biomass inputs.