By: ICN Bureau
Last updated : January 30, 2026 12:05 am
DRAGON II will be built at px Group–owned Saltend Chemicals Park, part of the Ara Partners portfolio, following what LanzaTech described as an exhaustive assessment of potential UK sites.
Clean fuels company LanzaTech Global has named Saltend Chemicals Park in Humberside as the intended location for its flagship DRAGON II project, a £600 million investment set to become one of the UK’s largest producers of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
The facility is expected to produce around 80,000 tonnes of SAF a year—roughly 1% of the UK’s current jet fuel demand—alongside 8,000 tonnes of renewable diesel. Construction is expected to support around 300 skilled jobs, with a further 150 permanent roles once the plant is operational.
DRAGON II will be built at px Group–owned Saltend Chemicals Park, part of the Ara Partners portfolio, following what LanzaTech described as an exhaustive assessment of potential UK sites. The Humber location was selected for its established industrial infrastructure, deep-water jetty access, utilities and fully managed site services, as well as future access to hydrogen and CO₂ pipeline networks.
The project forms part of LanzaTech’s wider DRAGON programme—short for Decarbonizing and Reimagining Aviation for the Goal Of Netzero—which includes a sister SAF facility at Port Talbot in South Wales.
Both projects will use LanzaJet’s Alcohol-to-Jet technology, converting ethanol into low-carbon aviation fuel. LanzaTech plans to supply around 50,000 tonnes of ethanol annually from facilities at Milford Haven and Saltend, produced using its gas fermentation technology that converts waste carbon dioxide and green hydrogen into fuel.
UK government backing has played a key role in advancing the projects. In July 2025, LanzaTech secured a £6.4 million grant from the Department for Transport’s Advanced Fuels Fund to help accelerate development of both DRAGON I and DRAGON II.
Construction of the Humberside plant is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2027, with operations targeted for 2030. The company said the project would support the UK’s net-zero ambitions, strengthen energy security and reinforce the Humber’s role as a centre for low-carbon industry.
Jim Woodger, LanzaTech Managing Director for EMEA and Americas, said, “We are excited to bring LanzaTech’s carbon recycling technology paired with our partner LanzaJet’s world-leading SAF production technology to Humberside. We anticipate we will create around 300 high quality, skilled jobs both during construction and in operation.”
He added, “We selected the px Saltend Chemicals Park because it offers exceptional infrastructure for SAF production and the future prospect for hydrogen and CO2 pipelines and storage. The skills of the px Group team also provides an excellent fit with LanzaTech.”
Geoff Holmes, CEO of px Group, said the investment underlined the Humber’s growing importance to the energy transition.
“This major investment from LanzaTech demonstrates Saltend’s continued attractiveness for world-first, low-carbon projects. Our plug-and-play model, deep technical expertise, and unmatched site infrastructure allow pioneers like LanzaTech to deploy innovative projects at speed and scale. DRAGON II will further strengthen the Humber’s status as the UK’s Energy Estuary, delivering jobs and a resilient, net-zero future for the region.”
LanzaTech said it is exploring partnerships with local suppliers and infrastructure providers to maximise regional benefits, including potential links to emerging hydrogen production and CO₂ transport and storage networks.