SkyNRG’s SAF Milestone: From Vision to First Major Facility in the Netherlands
One of the most inspiring examples of tangible progress in the clean fuels landscape comes from one of our early day hydrogen partners, SkyNRG at H2A. A company that has been at the forefront of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) development for over a decade. SkyNRG’s journey from early market pioneer to securing financing and moving into construction of the Netherlands’ first commercial-scale SAF production plant demonstrates what sustained collaboration, clarity of purpose, and strategic partnerships can achieve.
A Project Decades in the Making
Founded in 2009, SkyNRG has played a key role in establishing the SAF sector globally, supplying sustainable fuel to airlines and corporate partners while nurturing the broader market. Their work has helped shift sustainable aviation fuel from concept to commercial reality, positioning SAF as a critical part of the aviation sector’s net-zero transition strategy.
In early 2026, SkyNRG reached a major milestone by securing financial close on its DSL-01 production facility at the chemical park Delfzijl in Groningen. This represents a significant step beyond planning, bringing SAF from strategic conversation into active construction. The plant, designed to deliver approximately 100,000 tonnes of SAF per year, is expected to begin operations in mid-2028.
As a project that navigates technical, regulatory, and market challenges, DSL-01 sets a new benchmark for commercial financing in the low-carbon fuels space and signals confidence from investors, lenders and offtake partners alike.
Why This Matters: A Real Step Toward Decarbonising Aviation
SAF is widely acknowledged as one of the few viable near-term solutions to reduce lifecycle carbon emissions in aviation without requiring modifications to aircraft or existing infrastructure. By leveraging sustainable feedstocks and advanced processing technologies, SAF can reduce lifecycle CO₂ emissions by around 80% compared with conventional jet fuel.
For the Netherlands and Europe, the development of a commercial SAF facility has several implications:
- Industrial leadership: Production capacity of this scale supports the emergence of a domestic SAF industry rather than reliance solely on imports.
- Climate impact: Scaling SAF production contributes directly to emissions reductions in a hard-to-abate sector.
- Economic opportunity: The project exemplifies how climate innovation can go hand-in-hand with economic activity and value creation in regions like Delfzijl.
Collaboration That Makes Change Possible
SkyNRG’s progress is not just a technological achievement, it is the result of decades of partnerships across the aviation, energy and finance sectors. Strategic equity partners, long-term offtake agreements (including with airline partners such as KLM), and investment from major institutional investors underscore that scaling new energy systems requires aligned action across multiple sectors.
A Message for the Future
While the journey is not without challenges, SkyNRG’s milestone reinforces a critical message: large-scale, commercially viable projects in the energy transition are possible when public and private actors work together with clarity and commitment.
As H2A prepares for its 2026 Symposium, stories like this remind us why continued focus on strategic infrastructure, supportive policy frameworks and collaborative ecosystems is essential. They show that progress is real and that bringing transition narratives into implementation not only drives climate goals but creates future-facing economic opportunities for regions like the Netherlands.