Rolls-Royce, Equilibrion to study nuclear-powered jet fuel production

Rolls-Royce has partnered with UK-based Equilibrion to investigate the commercial-scale production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) using Rolls-Royce’s small modular reactors (SMRs). These SMRs provide low-cost, reliable, and carbon-free energy, which can support the energy-intensive process of producing SAF. Unlike electric aircraft, which face challenges due to the low energy density of batteries, SAF offers the same energy density as fossil fuels but with a significantly smaller carbon footprint. Equilibrion’s proprietary Eq.flight system uses electricity and heat from nuclear energy to produce SAF via a modular Power-To-Liquids (PtL) process, aiming to deliver a demonstration plant in the UK by the end of the decade. The aviation sector is a rapidly growing source of global emissions, yet SAF production currently meets less than one percent of global aviation fuel demand. The UK has mandated that 22 percent of aviation fuel must be sustainable by 2040, driving demand for low-cost, carbon-free