Topsoe and Carbon Neutral Fuels join forces to advance e-SAF with SOEC electrolyzer technology

Topsoe has been chosen to deliver advanced Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cell (SOEC) technology, consuming 120MW green power for Carbon Neutral Fuels’ e-SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) project called Project Starling in Workington, UK.

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The plant is expected to produce 25,000 metric tons of e-SAF per year. Construction is planned for 2028 with operations expected in 2031 pending final investment decision.

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The project was the largest e-fuels award of the UK Government’s third Advanced Fuels Fund granted in July 2025, directly delivering on the UK’s SAF Mandate.
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Topsoe, a leading global provider of advanced technology and solutions for the energy transition, has signed a Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) agreement with Carbon Neutral Fuels (CNF) based on Topsoe’s state-of-the-art SOEC electrolyzers for CNF’s commercial-scale e-SAF project called Project Starling (Previously named ASAP DAC).
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This agreement marks the first commercial application of Topsoe’s SOEC technology for use in commercial SAF production.

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The electrolyzer stacks for the project will be delivered from Topsoe’s SOEC manufacturing facility based in Herning, Denmark. First deliveries are expected in 2028 pending CNF taking Final Investment Decision (FID) on the project.

About Project Starling:

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Located in Workington, UK, the Starling project is a first-of-a-kind Power-to- Liquid e-fuel facility, aiming to use Topsoe’s SOEC electrolyzers to produce 25,000 metric tons of e-SAF per year. The project is currently undergoing Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) stage, with construction planned for 2028 and operations targeted for 2031.

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Once fully operational, the facility is projected to achieve an 89% reduction in lifecycle emissions compared to fossil jet fuel, making a significant contribution to the UK’s climate targets.

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In July 2025, Project Starling received the largest grant awarded to an e-fuels company, comprising £6 million, out of 17 projects from the UK Government Department for Transport’s Advanced Fuel Fund Window 3, which aims to accelerate the development of the UK’s SAF sector and support delivery of the government’s Jet Zero Strategy and SAF mandate.

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About Topsoe’s SOEC technology

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Topsoe’s solid oxide electrolyzer cells (SOEC) electrolysis technology is a modular design that operates at significantly higher temperatures compared to other electrolyzer technologies – a tested and proven process that enables industrial-scale production of green hydrogen using renewable electricity. Topsoe’s SOEC electrolyzer produces more hydrogen per unit of power input than alkaline or PEM technologies – achieving around 20% higher efficiency, which can increase to 30% with steam integration – yielding significantly greater hydrogen output. It further allows for the lowest levelized hydrogen cost per megawatt volume, no matter the industry.

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About Carbon Neutral Fuels:
Carbon Neutral Fuels is one of Europe’s leading power-to-liquid companies, pioneering the development of sustainable e-fuels and building a bridge between today's aviation needs and tomorrow's climate considerations. It has two key projects in its pipeline. Project Starling, formerly ASAP-DAC, the UK’s First of a Kind Power-to-Liquid e-Fuel facility with planned capability to deliver 25,000 tons of Sustainable Aviation Fuel annually and the upcoming ASAP-MTJ, Methanol-to-Jet facility, currently at pre-FEED stage and planning to produce more than 200,000 tons of SAF per annum.
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About Topsoe:
Topsoe is a leading global provider of advanced technology and solutions for the energy transition.
Built on decades of scientific research and innovation, we are working with customers and partners to drive energy resiliency and to achieve their sustainability goals.
We offer world-leading solutions for transforming renewable resources into fuels and chemicals, and we provide technologies needed to produce low- carbon and conventional fuels and chemicals, as well as ensuring clean air.

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We were founded in 1940 and are headquartered in Denmark, with over 2,800 employees serving customers all around the globe. To learn more, visit  www.topsoe.com.
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For more information, please contact:
Ulrik Frøhlke, Media Relations Manager
Phone: +45 27 77 99 68
Mail: ulfr@topsoe.com

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Troy Fielder, Media and Communications Mail: press@carbonneutralfuels.com

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