Strategic ORLEN VC Investment in OXCCU to Support Europe’s Transition to e-SAF in Aviation

Strategic ORLEN VC Investment in OXCCU to Support Europe’s Transition to e-SAF in Aviation

(IN BRIEF) ORLEN VC has invested in UK start-up OXCCU, which has developed innovative catalyst technology to produce synthetic sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF) from green hydrogen and captured CO₂. The move supports ORLEN Group’s strategy to decarbonize aviation and comply with the EU’s ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation, which sets rising SAF requirements through 2030. ORLEN, already supplying SAF to airports across Central and Eastern Europe, aims to become a leading SAF producer in Europe by 2035. OXCCU’s technology simplifies and lowers the cost of e-SAF production and can also process biomass-derived waste streams. Backed by USD 28 million from a consortium of investors including United Airlines, Aramco Ventures, International Airlines Group, and Safran, OXCCU is preparing to scale its technology for market deployment. ORLEN’s CEO Ireneusz Fąfara and Hydrogen Office head Grzegorz Jóźwiak both highlighted the investment’s importance for competitiveness, sustainability, and the company’s path to carbon neutrality.

(PRESS RELEASE) PŁOCK, 29-Sep-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — ORLEN VC, the corporate venture capital arm of the ORLEN Group, has taken a strategic stake in OXCCU, a UK-based start-up developing breakthrough technology that transforms green hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide into synthetic sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF). The investment is aligned with ORLEN’s ambition to scale its role in decarbonising air transport, supporting both its 2030 roadmap and the requirements of the EU’s ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation.

ORLEN has already introduced SAF, produced from renewable and waste feedstocks, into its fuel portfolio and supplies airports across Poland, the Czech Republic, and the Baltic states. Its long-term objective is to become one of Europe’s leading producers of SAF by 2035. According to Ireneusz Fąfara, CEO and President of the ORLEN Management Board, investing in OXCCU’s e-SAF technology will accelerate that progress: “Our strategic commitment to synthetic fuels puts us on course toward carbon neutrality while strengthening ORLEN’s competitiveness in the evolving aviation market.”

OXCCU’s proprietary catalyst system, developed at the University of Oxford, simplifies the e-SAF production process, making it more cost-efficient and adaptable. The technology can process a mixture of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen, enabling production not only from captured CO₂ but also from biomass-derived sources such as biogas or wood waste. This versatility positions OXCCU to contribute significantly to sustainable fuel availability at scale.

Grzegorz Jóźwiak, Head of ORLEN’s Hydrogen and Synthetic Fuel Technology Development Office, described the initiative as both a sustainability measure and a business opportunity: “By supporting the commercialization of e-SAF, ORLEN is strengthening its future position in the aviation fuels market and ensuring stable supply at competitive prices.”

OXCCU recently raised USD 28 million in its Series B round, attracting support from a wide syndicate of investors, including United Airlines Ventures Sustainable Flight Fund, Aramco Ventures, Eni Next, Trafigura Power Ventures, International Airlines Group (owner of British Airways), Safran Corporate Ventures, and the University of Oxford. With this backing, OXCCU will advance its scale-up and commercialization efforts.

The aviation sector is responsible for roughly 3% of global CO₂ emissions, and SAF adoption is central to reducing its climate impact. Under EU law, SAF must represent at least 2% of aviation fuel in 2025 and grow to 6% by 2030, with e-SAF specifically contributing 2% by that date. ORLEN’s investment in OXCCU strengthens its position at the forefront of this transition, demonstrating its determination to provide innovative, low-carbon solutions for European aviation.

About OXCCU TECH LTD

OXCCU, a spin-out company from the University of Oxford, is developing novel catalysts and reactor designs to convert waste carbon into liquid hydrocarbons with high conversion and selectivity for use as fuels and chemicals. The company is headquartered in the UK, with operations at Begbroke Science Park, Oxford, and London Oxford Airport.

Contact: lili@shift6studios.com

SOURCE: ORLEN