Nova Pangaea confirms site of UK’s first Gen2 bioethanol plant

Nova Pangaea Technologies has signed an exclusivity agreement and heads of terms with Sembcorp Industries Ltd for exclusivity over a plot at Wilton International on Teesside, UK, that will be the site of Nova Pangaea’s first commercial plant, NOVAONE, and new headquarters.

NOVAONE will be the UK’s first second-generation (Gen2) bioethanol facility, with construction expected to begin in early 2023.

The UK’s recently announced JetZero strategy, where bioethanol will be converted to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), requires five commercial plants to be under construction by 2025 to decarbonise 10% of all domestic flights in the UK by 2030.

In early November, British Airways, LanzaJet and Nova Pangaea Technologies signed an agreement that will accelerate Project Speedbird, an initiative created by the companies in 2021 to develop cost-effective SAF for commercial use in the UK. Project Speedbird can transform agricultural and wood waste taken from sustainable sources into 102 million litres of SAF per year. British Airways intends to offtake all SAF produced at the facility to help power some of its flights.

“Nova Pangaea is delighted to confirm the location of our first commercial plant in Teesside. We are driven by contributing to the UK’s Levelling Up agenda as well as the UK’s recently announced Jet Zero strategy by creating significant, green jobs and accelerating the critical pathway to unlock SAF. We look forward to working with Sembcorp in an exciting opportunity for the company and Teesside to catalyse the transition to cleaner fuels today,” said Sarah Ellerby, CEO of Nova Pangaea Technologies.

“Sembcorp Energy UK is excited to extend its support to Nova Pangaea with its ‘plug and play’ approach to available development land. Nova Pangaea’s role in Project Speedbird, which could see a major sustainable aviation fuel investment on Teesside, is an exciting opportunity for the region, and for Wilton International in particular. We look forward to supporting Nova Pangaea Technologies and their partners in the energy transition to Net Zero 2050 together,” said Andy Koss, CEO, UK & Middle East, Sembcorp Industries Ltd.