2026-10-15
- It is reported that Carbon Neutral Fuels (CNF) has raised the SAF target of Project Starling in Workington, West Cumbria, from 25,000 t/y to about 42,000 t/y, an increase of about 70%.
- According to the reports, the FlexSAF hybrid design routes eSAF (electricity-based synthetic aviation fuel) and advanced bioSAF (biomethane-based aviation fuel) through one shared Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and upgrading line.
- First fuel is targeted for Q4 2031, with more than 500 construction jobs and more than 150 skilled operational roles expected.
- The project is at the FEED (Front-End Engineering Design) and pre-FID (Final Investment Decision) stage, with a full planning application targeted for spring 2028.
Carbon Neutral Fuels (CNF) has redesigned Project Starling in Workington, Cumbria, as a FlexSAF hybrid plant, and it is reported that the target for SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) output has risen from 25,000 t/y to about 42,000 t/y. That is an increase of about 70%, and CNF is said to expect a lower production cost per tonne. According to CNF, producing eSAF and advanced bioSAF in a single facility is expected to be a UK first at commercial scale. The news was reported by trade media on 13-14 October 2026, and a public drop-in session for local residents was held on 15 October 2026.
Project Starling is CNF’s flagship project and is located in Workington, West Cumbria, UK. It is reported that the site is a brownfield (previously industrial) area of about 40 acres that was under-used, so the project would reuse existing land. The technology is named FlexSAF, a flexible configuration that makes two types of aviation fuel in one plant.
The first pathway, eSAF, is reported to use biogenic CO2, water and renewable electricity. The second, advanced bioSAF, uses biomethane. According to the reports, the two pathways do not use separate lines but feed one shared Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and upgrading line. As a result, the production mix can be switched within equipment limits to respond to feedstock availability and market demand, CNF is said to have explained.
By-product naphtha and tail gas are reported to be recycled into the syngas stream, so that nearly all output is expected to be converted into aviation-grade jet fuel. Engineering is under way with io consulting, and planning is being handled with Cumberland Council. The project is at the FEED and pre-FID stage.
On the CNF side, Alasdair Lumsden, Co-Founder and Director, is reported to have pointed to two low-carbon routes and lower cost per tonne as advantages of the design. Co-Founder and Director Sophie Zienkiewicz is said to have stressed job creation and community engagement, and Project Director Stephanie Ng described the shared-equipment approach as an engineering answer to a market problem.
Numbers
The key figure is the higher SAF target. The earlier design was 25,000 t/y, and after the redesign it is about 42,000 t/y, an increase of about 70%, which the reports attribute to process optimization. The site covers about 40 acres, and more than 500 construction jobs and more than 150 skilled operational roles are expected.
Some earlier-stage figures have also been reported. A July 2026 report is said to have described planned output of about 31,000 t/y and 100-150 skilled jobs. Capital cost, ownership structure, technology licensors for the FT and upgrading equipment, and feedstock supply agreements and volumes are not known.
Timeline
- 2026-06 — Planning Performance Agreement signed with Cumberland Council
- 2026-10-13 — Reports on the FlexSAF redesign and the rise to about 42,000 t/y (further coverage on 14 October)
- 2026-10-15 — Public drop-in session for Workington residents
- Spring 2028 — Target for full planning application
- Q4 2031 — Target for first fuel
Note
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis: a catalytic process that converts syngas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, into long-chain hydrocarbons; upgrading them yields liquid fuels such as jet fuel.
eSAF: a synthetic aviation fuel made by combining hydrogen from renewable electricity with captured CO2.