‘Golden opportunity’: UK nuclear sector touts potential to produce zero carbon aviation fuels
Trade body report touts UK as potential world leader in nuclear-derived synthetic fuels, as it calls for acknowledgement in government’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel mandate
The UK has a “golden opportunity” to become a world-leader in the production of synthetic, zero emissions aviation fuels using nuclear energy that could play a key role in helping to decarbonise flight over the coming decades, according to the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA).
A report published today by the trade body claims scaling nuclear-derived synthetic fuel production nationwide could help decarbonise the domestic transport sector, bolster energy security, and yield a major economic opportunity for the UK.
Offering a low carbon alternative to conventional fossil fuels such as diesel and kerosene jet fuel, synthetic aviation fuels rely on carbon dioxide obtained from the environment and low carbon hydrogen feedstock to synthesise fuels, the report explains.
Authored by energy consultants Equilibrion on behalf of the NIA, the report therefore sets out seven recommendations aimed at establishing the UK as a “world leader” in the future synthetic aviation fuels market, which it projects could be worth $600bn globally – or 42 per cent of the total aviation fuel market – by 2050.
The report said the UK’s existing capability in nuclear power “makes it ideally placed to exploit the opportunity deploying integrated nuclear and synthetic fuels programmes to reduce reliance on international fuel markets, improve energy security, support jobs at home across all of the UK and position for the export of sovereign synthetic fuels to trade partners across the world”.
Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the NIA, said nuclear energy could play a crucial role in providing the primary energy to support the decarbonisation of sectors that at present remain largely reliant on fossil fuels, such as aviation.
“Nuclear is completely unique in providing low carbon electricity and heat 24 hours a day, seven days a week, whatever the weather,” he explained. “Immediate action to decarbonise hard to abate industries is now crucial if we are to reach net zero and meet energy security targets. The UK must take this golden opportunity to be a global leader and we stand ready to provide the energy that the market needs.”
Most notably, the calls for the inclusion of synthetic fuels produced using nuclear power in the government’s Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) mandate, a move which would give it equal status in the policy alongside other technologies such as synthetic fuels made from renewable electricity sources, or from biofuels.
Other recommendations in the report include adding nuclear energy representation to the government’s Hydrogen Advisory Council, and ensuring both government and non-government net zero modelling and assessment includes nuclear-derived synthetic fuels.
The report also urges the government to consider amendments to the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO) to enable nuclear to be exploited for the production fuels in the wider low carbon fuels market.
Dr Phil Rogers, director of Equilibrion, said nuclear-enabled synthetic fuels also offered the potential to provide near zero decarbonisation in sectors that are the hardest to abate, particularly where there is a need to replace fossil fuels like-for-like.
“The transport sector is responsible for close to a third of UK emissions, so the ability to directly replace fossil fuels with zero carbon equivalents, particularly for aviation, shipping and heavy transport, could have a game changing impact on our journey to net zero,” he said. “The UK needs to take this opportunity and outline a pathway to economy-scale production and the near-term actions government and industry need to take to deliver on the vision.”
It comes as the government gears up to announce plans to incorporate a clean energy “reset” in the Budget on Wednesday, backed by £20bn of investment over 20 years to support carbon capture and storage and clean energy projects, alongside accompanying plans to ramp up support for new nuclear projects.
