LanzaTech selects Humber for £600m sustainable aviation fuel plant
29 January 2026
LanzaTech has selected Saltend Chemicals Park as the location for its £600 million DRAGON II project, which will produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel.
The proposed facility will be located within the Humber Freeport Hull East tax site and is expected to produce around 80,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel and 8,000 tonnes of renewable diesel each year, equivalent to around one per cent of UK jet fuel demand. Construction is planned to begin in the second half of 2027, with operations expected to commence in 2030.
The development is expected to support around 300 skilled jobs during construction and create 150 permanent roles once operational. It is the second DRAGON project announced by LanzaTech in the UK, following plans for a similar facility at Port Talbot in South Wales.
Saltend Chemicals Park is owned and operated by px Group and offers established industrial infrastructure, alongside future opportunities for hydrogen and carbon dioxide pipelines and storage. Locating within the Hull East tax site will also enable LanzaTech to benefit from a range of investment incentives, including business rates relief, Employer National Insurance Contributions relief, and Enhanced Capital Allowances on new plant and machinery.
Previous investment at the Hull East tax site includes expansions by Mitsubishi Chemical Group and Siemens Gamesa at its offshore wind turbine blade manufacturing facility at Alexandra Dock. Meld Energy is also planning a green hydrogen facility at Saltend, having recently announced investment from Schroders Greencoat.
Commenting on the announcement, Simon Green, CEO of Humber Freeport, said:
“LanzaTech’s announcement represents a significant investment for the Humber region. In joining a world-class cluster of low-carbon technology and innovation, LanzaTech benefits from Saltend Chemicals Park’s ‘plug and play’ proposition, with feedstock and offtake partners on site.
“With a similar facility already operational in the United States, LanzaTech’s technology is proven and will reinforce the Humber’s growing status as a leading UK hub for the development of sustainable aviation fuel and associated critical chemicals.
“It is also a major direct inward investment into Humber Freeport’s Hull East tax site, enabling LanzaTech to benefit from a range of incentives designed to attract important developments such as this.
“We’re delighted to welcome LanzaTech to the Humber and look forward to working closely with the business to maximise supply chain opportunities and growth across the region.”
LanzaTech’s technology converts waste carbon dioxide and green hydrogen into ethanol, which can then be refined into sustainable aviation fuel. The company said the project represents “a significant contribution to the UK’s net-zero ambitions, national energy security, and the creation of high-value jobs and industrial growth across the region”.
Jim Woodger, Managing Director for Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Americas at LanzaTech, said:
“We are excited to bring LanzaTech’s carbon recycling technology, paired with our partner LanzaJet’s world-leading SAF production technology, to Humberside.
“We selected the px Saltend Chemicals Park because it offers exceptional infrastructure for SAF production and the future prospect for hydrogen and CO₂ pipelines and storage. The skills of the px Group team also provide an excellent fit with LanzaTech.”
Geoff Holmes, CEO of px Group, added:
“This major investment from LanzaTech demonstrates Saltend’s continued attractiveness for world-first, low-carbon projects.
“DRAGON II will further strengthen the Humber’s position as the UK’s Energy Estuary, delivering jobs and supporting a resilient, net-zero future for the region.”