Oxford-based SAF start-up Oxccu has begun supplying its pilot facility with green hydrogen, replacing grey hydrogen volumes previously used in its fuel synthesis process, as it seeks to validate lifecycle emissions reductions alongside process efficiency.
The hydrogen is supplied by Protium’s Pioneer 1 facility in South Wales, which has a production capacity of 40 kilograms per day. Deliveries are now feeding Oxccu’s OX1 pilot plant at London Oxford Airport, a facility commissioned in 2024 to test the company’s single catalytic step approach to jet fuel production. While the scale remains limited, with current output at approximately 1.2 liters of fuel per day, the shift to green hydrogen addresses a key constraint facing early SAF projects: access to low-carbon inputs at commercially viable costs.
Oxccu’s process is designed to simplify conventional SAF production routes, which typically involve multiple conversion stages that add complexity, reduce overall yields, and increase capital intensity. The company’s technology uses a proprietary catalyst to convert either hydrogen and biogenic carbon dioxide or hydrogen-rich syngas directly into jet fuel. If validated at scale, the approach could reduce process losses and lower the carbon intensity of the final fuel, although independent verification will be required as the technology moves beyond pilot operation.
Until green hydrogen became available through Protium, Oxccu relied on grey hydrogen, reflecting a broader challenge across the SAF sector. Limited regional availability and high costs continue to constrain the use of renewable hydrogen, particularly for small-scale facilities that lack long-term offtake agreements or direct access to electrolyzers. Protium’s role in supplying hydrogen for SAF synthesis highlights the growing importance of localized production models that can serve emerging industrial demand without relying on large-scale infrastructure that remains years from completion.
Oxccu raised £20.75 million in Series B funding in September 2025 to advance its technology and prepare for scale-up. However, moving from pilot validation to commercial deployment will require not only capital but also confidence in feedstock availability, hydrogen pricing, and regulatory support. These factors are increasingly shaped by UK policy, which mandates that SAF account for 10 percent of aviation fuel use by 2030 and 22 percent by 2040.
Momentum across the UK SAF ecosystem is building, though fragmentation remains evident. Willis Sustainable Fuels, in partnership with the Green Finance Institute, has launched an accelerator to support early-stage SAF projects and expand domestic production capacity. Separately, Topsoe and Carbon Neutral Fuels are advancing eSAF pathways using solid oxide electrolyzer cell technology, reflecting continued interest in power-to-liquid routes despite their higher electricity intensity and cost sensitivity.
Policy mechanisms are beginning to address revenue risk, a longstanding barrier for SAF investment. The UK government has confirmed that its revenue certainty mechanism for SAF will be funded through a levy on aviation fuel suppliers, providing a clearer framework for long-term price support. However, scaling production to meet mandated volumes will still depend on expanding eligible feedstocks, accelerating electrolyzer deployment, and reducing the cost gap between SAF and conventional jet fuel.
