Firefly Green Fuels
Firefly Green Fuels is a UK-based sustainable aviation fuel developer that converts sewage biosolids into drop-in jet fuel via proprietary hydrothermal liquefaction, serving airlines and water utilities ahead of its planned 2028/29 commercial-scale Harwich facility.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersBerkeley, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Firefly Green Fuels does
Firefly Green Fuels is a UK-based sustainable aviation fuel developer founded in 2013 by James Hygate that has developed a proprietary "Sewage Biosolids to Jet" (SBtJ) pathway converting processed sewage biosolids into drop-in jet fuel chemically nearly identical to fossil A1 jet fuel. The core technology is Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL), which applies high temperature and pressure in the presence of water to break down wet organic waste into hydrocarbon-rich biocrude, subsequently upgraded into SAF. Independent analysis by Cranfield University validates a 90-92% lifecycle CO2e reduction versus fossil jet at a carbon intensity of 7.97 g CO2e/MJ, and biochar is co-produced as a valuable byproduct for carbon sequestration or agricultural use. The company is currently developing its First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) commercial facility in Harwich, Essex, at a Haltermann Carless specialist refinery site, with commercial operation targeted for 2028/29.
Firefly's commercial model centres on long-dated B2B offtake agreements with airlines seeking to meet decarbonisation and UK/EU SAF mandates. A flagship 15-year offtake with Wizz Air covers up to 525,000 tonnes of SAF valued at approximately $1 billion, supported by a £5 million equity investment from Wizz Air in 2023. Revenue is effectively pre-FOAK; near-term financing is provided by strategic equity (Wizz Air, Boeing/Clear Sky consortium, Builders Vision), a £2 million UK government research grant, and a planned Series B of approximately £30 million for the demonstration facility. Customers and partners span major airlines (Wizz Air), aerospace OEMs (Boeing), water utilities and biosolids suppliers (Anglian Water, Synagro, Sanepar), refining and engineering firms (Chevron Lummus Global, Haltermann Carless, Petrofac, Altaca), and impact investors (Builders Vision) across the UK, US, Brazil, and Turkey.
The technology platform is delivered through an integrated partnership stack rather than wholly in-house assets: Altaca's CatLiq HTL provides upstream conversion, Chevron Lummus Global supplies downstream refinery infrastructure, and Haltermann Carless hosts the Harwich site. The company operates with 1-10 employees headquartered in Bristol with an R&D laboratory in South Gloucestershire, and is led by founder/CEO James Hygate OBE alongside co-founder/Strategy Director Dr Paul Hilditch, CFO Rob Hemsley, COO Catherine Cheetham, and Research Director Dr Sérgio Lima. To date Firefly has raised roughly £7 million in disclosed grant plus equity funding, supplemented by undisclosed strategic investment from Boeing/Clear Sky and Builders Vision, and has been recognised with multiple industry awards including the 2024 Aviation Innovation Award and 2025 WEX Global award.
Firefly Green Fuels firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Firefly Green Fuels
- Legal name
- Firefly Green Fuels Ltd.
- Website
- https://flyfirefly.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Firefly Green Fuels is a UK-based sustainable aviation fuel developer that converts sewage biosolids into drop-in jet fuel via proprietary hydrothermal liquefaction, serving airlines and water utilities ahead of its planned 2028/29 commercial-scale Harwich facility.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Firefly Green Fuels industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Aviation Fuel
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Production (HEFA, FT, ATJ) (EUAAAHAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Biofuel Upgrading, Hydrotreating & Refining (Co-processing, Isomerization) (EUAAAHAG), E‑Fuels & Synthetic Hydrocarbons (e‑kerosene, e‑diesel, e‑gasoline, e‑methane) (EUABAIAA), CO₂‑Derived Synthetic Fuels for Aviation & Marine (SAF e‑fuels, e‑ammonia/e‑methanol bunkering pathways) (EUABAIAH), Biofuels & Renewable Fuels Switching (Biomethane/RNG, Bio-oils, Sustainable Biomass) (EUABAJAD)
Keywords
Where Firefly Green Fuels is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berkeley
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Firefly Green Fuels business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- SAF Sales via Offtake Agreements: Long-term offtake agreements with airlines for purchase of Sustainable Aviation Fuel. Revenue generated through fuel sales under 15-year contractual commitments. The Wizz Air agreement is valued at approximately $1 billion across 15 years for 525,000 tonnes of SAF.
- Equity Investment and Strategic Funding: Equity investments from strategic partners (Wizz Air £5m, Builders Vision funding) and consortium investments (Boeing/Clear Sky) provide capital for facility development and commercialization. These are not revenue streams but provide development financing.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Firefly Green Fuels product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Firefly Green Fuels develops and produces Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from sewage biosolids using a proprietary Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL) process via its Sewage Biosolids to Jet (SBtJ) pathway. The company converts processed human sewage waste into biocrude oil, which is refined into drop-in jet fuel chemically almost identical to fossil A1 jet fuel, with biochar produced as a valuable co-product. Supply is delivered to airline customers through long-term offtake agreements, with first commercial-scale production planned for 2028/29 at its Harwich facility.
Product overview
Firefly Green Fuels is a pioneering sustainable aviation fuel developer operating a 'Sewage Biosolids to Jet' (SBtJ) pathway that transforms sewage waste into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The company's core product is SAF produced via proprietary hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) technology, which converts processed human sewage biosolids into biocrude oil and biochar. The biocrude is refined into jet fuel while biochar serves as a valuable carbon sequestration byproduct. Firefly licenses the CatLiq HTL technology from Turkish firm Altaca for upstream processing, while Chevron Lummus Global provides downstream refining infrastructure. The company is developing its First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) commercial facility in Harwich, UK, with plans for global expansion. The company has secured a 15-year offtake agreement with Wizz Air for 525,000 tonnes of SAF and has achieved independent certification from Cranfield University showing over 90% CO2 reduction versus fossil jet fuel.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Drop-in sustainable aviation fuel produced from sewage biosolids via hydrothermal liquefaction. Chemically almost identical to fossil A1 jet fuel and delivers over 90% reduction in lifecycle CO2 emissions versus conventional jet fuel. Sold to commercial airlines under long-term offtake agreements.
- Biochar A powdery co-product created during Firefly's HTL process that can be used as a fertiliser in agriculture or for carbon sequestration in construction. Adds an additional revenue stream and improves the overall carbon intensity (7.97 g CO2e/MJ) of the process.
Quantifiable outcome
- 90-92% reduction in lifecycle CO2 emissions compared to fossil jet fuel
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Firefly Green Fuels
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Firefly Green Fuels technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Firefly Green Fuels partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and support.
- AltacacoreTurkish engineering firm Altaca provides CatLiq hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) technology for Firefly's planned UK facility. This technology converts sewage sludge into crude oil as the crucial upstream step in the bio-fuel production process. The partnership was signed at the British Embassy in Ankara with the British Ambassador to Turkey.
- SaneparstrategicMemorandum of Understanding signed with Sanepar, one of Brazil's largest water and sanitation companies. Partnership expands Firefly's footprint into Brazilian and Latin American markets while securing feedstock supply. Sanepar's established infrastructure network provides reliable biosolids supply for Firefly's SAF production.
- PetrofacsupportPetrofac, a leading energy services company, is supporting Firefly to scale operations at pace. Petrofac COO John Pearson has publicly praised Firefly's technology, economics, and customer pipeline, believing the company is well-positioned to become an industry leader.
- SynagrocorePartnership with Synagro, North America's market-leading provider of sustainable solutions for biosolids, to unlock SAF production from biosolids in North America. Synagro is the exclusive supplier of biosolids feedstock for Firefly's US operations. Combined expertise enables circular economy impact and technology replication across the United States.
- Chevron Lummus GlobalcorePartnership with Chevron Lummus Global (CLG), a leading technology provider in renewable transportation fuels. CLG provides bespoke refinery infrastructure designed to optimize efficiency and flexibility while minimizing emissions for Firefly's commercial-scale plant in Harwich.
- Haltermann CarlesscoreHaltermann Carless, a global leader in sustainable hydrocarbon production, owns the specialist refinery site in Harwich where Firefly will build its pilot facility and First-of-a-Kind commercial-scale plant.
- Anglian WatercorePartnership with Anglian Water to provide sewage biosolids as feedstock for Firefly's pilot facility. Anglian Water is committed to supporting innovative waste-to-fuel solutions and has been recognized through Firefly's Innovation of the Year award at the Water Industry Awards.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Firefly Green Fuels competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Neste: World's largest producer of renewable diesel and SAF from waste and residues, currently the dominant commercial SAF supplier globally. Comparable as a SAF producer at scale serving the same airline customers, though operates across a much broader renewable fuels portfolio.
- World Energy: Pioneer commercial SAF producer operating one of the longest-running SAF refineries (Paramount, California) and supplying major airlines including United and Delta. Comparable as an established SAF supplier to the same airline customer base Firefly targets.
Direct peers
- Velocys: UK-based smaller-scale Fischer-Tropsch SAF technology provider with project pipeline at BA and Shell sites. Direct peer as a UK SAF technology company selling into the same airline customer base, though using a different conversion pathway.
- Aemetis: US renewable fuels company producing renewable diesel and SAF from biomass feedstocks (including woody biomass and orchard waste). Comparable as a commercial-stage SAF/renewable diesel producer using non-food feedstocks and pursuing mandate-driven volumes.
- SkyNRG: SAF-focused developer and supplier operating Project SkyPower and other regional SAF facilities. Direct peer as a SAF-only company building commercial-scale production with airline offtakes (KLM, SAS, and others) and corporate buyers.
- Fulcrum BioEnergy: US-based waste-to-SAF developer using municipal solid waste as feedstock via gasification/Fischer-Tropsch. Direct competitor in the waste-to-jet fuel category with comparable FOAK-scale ambitions and similar offtake-validated business model.
- LanzaTech: Gas-fermentation company producing ethanol that can be upgraded to SAF (AtJ pathway), with commercial partnerships including Indian Oil, ArcelorMittal, and Virgin Atlantic. Comparable as a SAF producer using a non-conventional feedstock (industrial off-gases) and similar first-of-a-kind project financing model.
Emerging players
- Sunfire: German e-fuels company producing synthetic fuels including sustainable aviation fuel from CO2 and renewable hydrogen via high-temperature co-electrolysis. Comparable as a European deep-tech SAF developer at pre-commercial scale pursuing mandate-driven demand.
- Prometheus Fuels: California-based startup developing electrofuels (e-fuels) for aviation using captured CO2 and renewable electricity. Comparable as a deep-tech SAF startup pursuing novel conversion pathways to drop-in jet fuel, though using CO2 rather than biomass feedstock.
- Alder Fuels: US-based SAF developer converting woody biomass into sustainable aviation fuel through a proprietary hydrothermal conversion process. Closest peer by feedstock category (waste biomass) and conversion approach (HTL-adjacent), pursuing similar airline offtake strategy.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Firefly Green Fuels social profiles
Digital presenceFirefly Green Fuels financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Firefly Green Fuels leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Firefly Green Fuels funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Firefly Green Fuels M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Firefly Green Fuels
What does Firefly Green Fuels do?
Firefly Green Fuels develops and produces Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from sewage biosolids using a proprietary Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL) process via its Sewage Biosolids to Jet (SBtJ) pathway. The company converts processed human sewage waste into biocrude oil, which is refined into drop-in jet fuel chemically almost identical to fossil A1 jet fuel, with biochar produced as a valuable co-product. Supply is delivered to airline customers through long-term offtake agreements, with first commercial-scale production planned for 2028/29 at its Harwich facility.
Is Firefly Green Fuels a public or private company?
Firefly Green Fuels is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Firefly Green Fuels founded?
Firefly Green Fuels was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Firefly Green Fuels based?
Firefly Green Fuels is headquartered in Berkeley, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Firefly Green Fuels make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. SAF Sales via Offtake Agreements are the primary driver. The others are equity Investment and Strategic Funding.
Who are Firefly Green Fuels's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Neste and World Energy. Direct peers are Velocys, Aemetis, SkyNRG, Fulcrum BioEnergy and LanzaTech. Emerging players are Sunfire, Prometheus Fuels and Alder Fuels.
Does Firefly Green Fuels have an API?
No public API is recorded for Firefly Green Fuels.
What industry is Firefly Green Fuels in?
Firefly Green Fuels's product category is Sustainable Aviation Fuel. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAAAHAE, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Production (HEFA, FT, ATJ), with a secondary code of EUAAAHAG, Biofuel Upgrading, Hydrotreating & Refining (Co-processing, Isomerization).