Kent collaborates on Pre-FEED study for Eq.flight demonstration plant

Kent, a global integrated energy services partner, collaborated with Equilibrion during the successful bid for funding from the UK Department for Transport’s Advanced Fuels Fund (AFF). With funding now secured for the Equilibrion and its partners, Kent is delivering the Pre-Front-End Engineering Design (Pre-FEED) for Eq.flight, an advanced power-to-liquids (PtL) Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) demonstration plant.

Eq.flight aims to demonstrate a UK-based, highly integrated PtL SAF pathway using local electricity and heat inputs providing secure and stable production. While the design represents a nuclear-enabled production route, the demonstration plant will simulate these energy inputs to validate system performance and operational integration ahead of future commercial projects. The project forms a central part of industry efforts to support the PtL sub-target under the UK’s SAF Mandate.

As part of the collaborative Pre-FEED phase, Kent is developing the engineering design for the demonstration system. Eq.flight brings together solid oxide electrolysis, reverse water-gas shift, and Fischer–Tropsch synthesis technologies to produce drop-in SAF with potential for more than a 90% reduction in lifecycle emissions compared to conventional jet fuel. The integrated system is designed for continuous operation without reliance on backup generation or large-scale storage, offering a pathway to efficient and secure domestic SAF production.

Les Newman, Managing Director, UK at Kent, said:

“Eq.flight marks a meaningful step in the UK’s drive to build a domestic sustainable aviation fuel sector. With stronger policy support now in place in the UK, the opportunity for projects like this to move toward commercial reality is growing. Through our work in the RISE coalition, we’ve seen the importance of aligning technology, policy, and industry capability, and Eq.flight brings those elements together in a compelling way. Our team is ready to apply its experience in low-carbon process engineering, and we look forward to working with Equilibrion and the wider consortium as the project progresses.”

Equilibrion Co-founders Caroline Longman and Phil Rogers, added:

“Eq.flight enables us to bring advanced electrolysis and synthesis technologies together in a way that hasn’t been demonstrated in the UK before. The insights gained through this phase will be critical in shaping future commercial projects. With support from our partners, including Kent, we’re well-placed to deliver a robust and informative demonstration system. Our consortium is committed to accelerating the UK’s transition to domestically produced sustainable aviation fuels, strengthening energy security while enabling airlines to meet future SAF requirements.”

Power-to-liquids is recognised as a key technology for achieving the UK’s 2050 net-zero targets, enabling production of drop-in SAF from water, carbon dioxide and low-carbon electricity. Demand for PtL pathways is expected to increase significantly in the coming years as airlines, airports and fuel suppliers move to meet tightening sustainability regulations. The UK Government has supported PtL SAF projects, creating a major opportunity for domestic investment, innovation, and job creation across the energy and aviation sectors.

Kent’s role in Eq.flight supports its strategy to build end-to-end energy value chains that take responsibility for their energy inputs from day one, helping to deliver more investable, resilient, and scalable net-zero projects across the UK.