Essar Energy Transition (EET) has completed the pre-FEED (front end engineering design) for one of the UK's largest SAF production hubs. Integrated within the company's Stanlow refinery (UK), the planned methanol-to-jet (MtJ) project will produce more than 2000,000 tonnes of advanced SAF, using approximately 550,0000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of renewable e-methanol and nio-methanol feedstock.
Co-locating the MtJ facility with the Stanlow refinery enables on-site blending of the SAF with EET's conventional jet fuel volumes. Utilising the existing export infrastructure, including access to the Manchester Jet, Midlands, and UKOP pipeline systems as well as existing road and marine distribution routes, the SAF can be supplied directly to the UK aviation sector, including major UK airports and airlines.
Leveraging existing import and storage capabilities provided by Stanlow Terminals reduces project capital expenditure, whilst enabling access to the most competitive, low cost and low carbon intensity methanol feedstocks. Part funded (with an up to £2.5 million (€2.9 million) grant) through the third window of the UK government’s Department for Transport’s (DfT) Advanced Fuel Fund (AFF), the pre-FEED stage was completed in partnership with contractor, Genesis.
Helen Coleman, managing director, Genesis, comments: 'We are proud to have played an integral role in the successful completion of this significant Pre‑FEED study. By leveraging our best‑in‑class technical and advisory capabilities, we delivered a robust and forward‑looking assessment that has reaffirmed the Stanlow Manufacturing Complex as a highly credible location for a large‑scale MtJ SAF project. This work has enabled Essar Energy Transition to move forward with confidence as the project progresses toward FEED and the next phase of development.'
The Pre-FEED included technical and commercial evaluations of the project, addressing critical aspects such as site selection, MtJ technology readiness, integration with refinery facilities, carbon intensity performance and environmental compliance.
The work at Stanlow's Manufacturing Complex demonstrated that there are no material barriers to permitting and consenting, strong interest exists in renewable methanol supply, meaningful integration opportunities are available which will lower cost and carbon intensity, and that Essar Energy Transition Fuels is committed to underpinning the full SAF volumes offtake in line with their anticipated UK SAF mandate requirements.
The successful conclusion of the pre-FEED study enables EET to continue the development of this landmark project. The project is now targeting participation in the UK SAF Revenue Certainty Mechanism (RCM) process. The project’s scale, refinery integration, secure logistics, and credible offtake structure will ensure deliverable SAF capacity capable of underpinning long‑term mandate compliance.
Ruth Herbert, managing director and chief business development officer, Essar Energy Transition, says: 'Completing Pre‑FEED confirms that Stanlow MtJ is a leading UK SAF project; it is a fully integrated, delivery‑ready solution built for scale. By embedding advanced SAF production directly within a large-scale refinery system, with existing blending, logistics and offtake in place, we have fundamentally reduced risk, cost and complexity. As the UK moves from ambition to obligation under the SAF Mandate, projects that can deliver reliably, competitively and at scale will matter most, and Stanlow MtJ has been deliberately designed to do exactly that.'
Essar Energy Transition completes pre-FEED for e-SAF hub
