Clean Planet Technologies (CPTech), a subsidiary of the Clean Planet Group, has been awarded funding by the UK Department for Transport (DfT) through the UK Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) Clearing House. The funding will support the next phase of qualification and testing for CPTech’s innovative waste-plastics-to-Sustainable Aviation Fuel (P2SAF) technology.
The DfT announced a funding package today to support four SAF innovators, including CPTech, to accelerate the testing, certification, and commercialization of next-generation sustainable aviation fuels. The other recipients of the funding are Avioxx Ltd, Green Lizard Technologies Ltd, and Zero Petroleum Ltd.
The UK SAF Clearing House, which plays a central role in the UK’s aviation decarbonization strategy, will provide technical guidance, access to recognized testing facilities, and support for the ASTM qualification process. This program aligns with the UK’s ambition to lead globally in SAF deployment, along with the SAF Mandate and other measures to de-risk first-of-a-kind SAF production.
Director of the UK SAF Clearing House, Matthew Jee, stated, “The UK SAF Clearing House is delighted to support Clean Planet Technologies as they move through the critical stages of fuel qualification. The testing we facilitate provides the robust evidence base that producers and industry need to build confidence, unlock investment, and accelerate the deployment of new fuels. These awards underline the UK SAF Clearing House’s commitment to working closely with innovators to scale sustainable aviation fuel production and to deliver meaningful progress towards a more sustainable aviation sector in the UK.”
For Clean Planet Technologies, the funding will support detailed fuel characterization, materials compatibility testing, and data generation required for progression through the ASTM qualification process for plastics-derived aviation fuels. CPTech is developing the SAFe-P2SAF platform, a proprietary system that combines pyrolysis and advanced hydroprocessing to convert waste plastics into ultra-clean, low-carbon jet fuel. Their technology was publicly unveiled at the SAF Global Summit, where CPTech presented the UK’s first end-to-end Plastics-to-SAF pathway.
The company’s patented pyrolysis-oil upgrading technology, now protected in the UK, United States, and Saudi Arabia, is being advanced through the upcoming UK pilot facility, set to open in April 2026.
Dr. Andrew Odjo, CTO of Clean Planet Energy and CEO of Clean Planet Technologies, said, “We are delighted to be supported by the UK SAF Clearing House program, enabling us to accelerate the validation of our innovative plastics-to-SAF technology. Every molecule of virgin fossil fuel that we can replace with our oils brings waste back into the value chain, significantly reduces lifecycle carbon emissions, and decreases plastic pollution. The UK is at the forefront of advanced fuels, and this support helps ground-breaking technologies like ours reach commercial deployment. We’re proud to contribute to the future of sustainable aviation and to the UK’s Net Zero ambitions while removing waste from the environment.”
Dr. Katerina Garyfalou, COO of Clean Planet Technologies, added, “This support allows us to move faster and with greater technical confidence through the SAF qualification process. Fuel testing and certification are essential steps in bridging innovation and commercial reality, and the UK SAF Clearing House plays a critical role in reducing risk for new fuel pathways. This award strengthens our roadmap from pilot-scale validation to commercial deployment.”
The use of alternative circular feedstocks, such as waste plastics, is gaining strategic importance with the UK and EU SAF mandates coming into force and increasing pressure on traditional bio-based feedstocks. CPTech is an active contributor to the ASTM task force for plastics-to-SAF and is working alongside industry partners, including OMV, whose forthcoming annex is expected to establish the regulatory route for this new class of fuels.
Each stage of the Clearing House program brings CPTech closer to commissioning its first commercial-scale Plastics-to-SAF unit, targeted for later this decade, and to supplying meaningful volumes of low-carbon SAF into the aviation market.
About UK SAF Clearing House:
The UK SAF Clearing House supports the industry in deploying SAF by facilitating the development, evaluation, and qualification of jet fuel from sustainable sources. The organization builds on and further develops existing UK expertise to help reduce uncertainty, cost, and time barriers to SAF development, which in turn broadens the scope of eligible fuels that meet the rigorous performance and quality standards required for commercial and military aviation use.
The UK SAF Clearing House provides advice and guidance to fuel producers on SAF testing and qualification requirements; coordinates testing activity between a network of UK facilities to cover the required pre-screening and ASTM process; supports the DfT in providing grants to reimburse testing costs; and collaborates with stakeholders, including Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), regulators, Specification Groups, and the US and EU Clearing Houses.
About Clean Planet Technologies:
Clean Planet Technologies (CPTech