Nova Pangaea Technologies has reported successful endurance trials of its technology designed to convert waste biomass into ethanol and biochar, supporting the development of carbon-negative sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
The UK-based company conducted the latest trials at its demonstration plant in Teesside, where its REFNOVA process demonstrated stable, continuous operation during production runs lasting up to 72 hours. The trials also delivered yields above the company’s target levels, providing further validation as Nova Pangaea prepares to move towards commercial-scale development.
During the programme, softwood residues from the timber processing industry were used as feedstock, with multiple production runs processing up to three tonnes of material per day. The work builds on earlier trials undertaken in 2025, which demonstrated the viability of the process beyond laboratory conditions. Further testing is planned for next year as the company continues to refine the design of its first commercial-scale facility.
Nova Pangaea’s REFNOVA process is designed to process a range of waste biomass and residual materials, including wood chips, sawdust and wheat straw. These materials are converted into ethanol that can subsequently be used in the production of SAF and renewable diesel. The process also produces biochar, a co-product capable of permanently storing carbon, enabling the overall process to remove more CO₂ from the atmosphere than it emits.
The successful trials come at a time when the aviation sector is seeking to increase the availability of sustainable aviation fuel and diversify the feedstocks used in its production. Current SAF production remains heavily dependent on waste oils and fats, including used cooking oil, which are available in limited quantities and are unlikely to provide a sufficient supply as demand increases.
Regulatory requirements in both the UK and EU are also expected to drive greater SAF adoption over the coming decades, with mandated proportions of sustainable fuel increasing from 2% to potentially as much as 70% by 2050. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the waste biomass available across Europe, including the UK, could be sufficient to produce approximately 30 million tonnes of SAF by 2030, a volume equivalent to European SAF targets for 2050.
Nova Pangaea is also working alongside British Airways and LanzaJet on Project Speedbird, a UK government-supported initiative focused on producing carbon-negative aviation fuel from locally sourced waste biomass. Under the project, four UK facilities are planned to produce bioethanol from local waste materials, which would then be upgraded into SAF using LanzaJet’s Alcohol-to-Jet biorefinery technology.
The latest progress represents a further milestone as Nova Pangaea looks to raise additional funding to support the development of its first commercial plant. To date, the company has secured more than £21 million from investors, including International Airlines Group, PXN Ventures, Mercia Ventures and the first Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, in addition to grant funding from the UK government’s Advanced Fuels Fund competition.
“The latest trials have validated our technology and should further underpin the confidence of investors on our journey towards building our first commercial plant.
The SAF industry is currently at a critical point. Demand is increasing, and supply chain shocks such as in the Middle East show the need to find an alternative to fossil fuels, yet aviation is currently reliant on SAF from a single feedstock, which will not be enough to meet growing SAF demand.
Nova Pangaea’s tried and tested technology offers a genuine alternative. By tapping into the plentiful supplies of waste biomass, we can boost SAF production – enhancing our energy security and building a new domestic industry that generates jobs and revenues while reducing fossil fuel emissions.”
– Stewart Stewart, CEO of Nova Pangaea.
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