Firefly Green Fuels, a UK-based company, has developed Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) using human waste, a groundbreaking approach to eco-friendly aviation fuel production.
Independent tests, validated by regulators, confirm the fuel’s quality is nearly indistinguishable from conventional kerosene used globally for commercial aeroplanes. The SAF, derived from human waste, reportedly emits 90% fewer emissions than standard jet fuel.
James Hygate, CEO of Firefly Green Fuels, emphasised their goal of finding a low-cost and abundant feedstock, highlighting that human waste fits this criterion. The development was carried out at Cranfield University, with researchers determining that the human waste-derived SAF is chemically identical to fossil-based kerosene but without fossil carbon, making it a fossil-free fuel.
The SAF is currently undergoing independent testing at the German Aerospace Centre and Washington State University. The UK Department of Transport has granted the research team £2 million for further exploration.