LGF Q&A | What is FEED: and why does it matter?

As Lighthouse Green Fuels (LGF) moves toward becoming the UK’s first new refinery project in a generation, it has already achieved a major industry milestone: becoming the first second-generation Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) project in Europe to complete Front-End Engineering Design (FEED).

FEED is one of the most important stages in the development of any major infrastructure project. But outside engineering and project delivery circles, it is rarely understood.

To explain what FEED means - and why completing it matters commercially, strategically and technically - we sat down with Dr Simon Owens, Director, Engineering & Technical at Alfanar Projects.

Simon leads the technical delivery of the LGF project: the UK’s most advanced second-generation SAF facility. With significant experience delivering large-scale energy and infrastructure projects, he oversees the technical strategy and execution behind the multibillion Teesside development.

In this Q&A, Simon explains what FEED really means in practice, what the process involves behind the scenes, and why reaching this stage represents a major step forward for the LGF project and the wider UK SAF industry.

1. Let's start simply – what is FEED?

FEED stands for Front End Engineering Design. In simple terms, it’s the stage where a project moves from being an idea or concept into a defined and engineered plan for delivery.

For a project like LGF, FEED means taking the selected technology packages and developing them into a technically robust design with a high level of detail. By the end of FEED, engineers have defined how the plant will operate, what equipment is required, how the different technologies integrate together, and what it will realistically cost to build.

It’s also the point where the project gains a reliable execution strategy, schedule and procurement plan. In many ways, FEED is the final major step before a company can confidently commit to the investment and move to construct the project .

2. Why is completing FEED such an important stage in a project like Lighthouse Green Fuels?

Completing FEED is important because it gives confidence that the project can actually be delivered. At this stage, the engineering design has been developed to a level where costs, timelines and risks are understood in much greater detail.

For LGF, FEED completion means the project now has a validated design basis, a defined scope and a much more accurate cost estimate. The team has also identified and assessed key technical and delivery risks.

This is critical because investors, lenders and delivery partners need confidence that the project is technically sound and commercially viable before moving towards construction and Final Investment Decision (FID). FEED is effectively the stage where a project transitions from ambition into an executable delivery plan.

3. We often hear announcements about SAF projects, but not all of them reach construction. What does completing FEED say about the maturity of a project?

A lot of SAF projects remain at concept stage and never progress into further engineering phases. Completing FEED demonstrates a high level of project maturity because it means significant technical, commercial and financial work has already been completed.

For LGF, it also demonstrates that the project is built around proven, high technology readiness level (TRL) systems supplied by established licensors. While the overall configuration is first-of-a-kind, many of the individual technologies involved have already been proven at commercial scale in other industries.

That combination is important. It reduces technology risk while still enabling innovation. FEED completion also reflects the scale of commitment behind the project, because reaching this stage requires substantial upfront investment, engineering resource and long-term confidence in delivery.

4. What does FEED actually involve behind the scenes?

During FEED, engineers develop the plant design in significant detail. This includes defining process heat and mass balances, process flow diagrams (PFDs), piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs), equipment sizing, emissions data and electrical loads.

The engineering team also develops 3D models of the facility to review construction, operations and maintenance requirements. Structural layouts, cable routing, utility systems and procurement strategies are all progressed during this phase as well.

In LGF’s case, FEED has also involved progressing certain long-lead items towards early procurement and developing an AACE Class II cost estimate, giving the project a high degree of confidence around delivery planning.

5. Is FEED for a SAF project like LGF particularly complex?

Yes, particularly because LGF is a first-of-a-kind SAF project at commercial scale. One of the biggest challenges is integrating multiple technologies together into a single, seamless production process.

However, the complexity is reduced by the fact that LGF is using proven technologies from established licensors, rather than relying on entirely untested systems. The innovation comes from how those technologies are integrated together to produce SAF at commercial scale.

That distinction matters because “first-of-a-kind” can sound high risk, but in reality much of the underlying technology has already been demonstrated elsewhere. FEED is the stage where all those systems are tested together on paper before construction begins.

6. What changes between a project before FEED and after FEED?

Once FEED is completed, the project moves into a much more defined phase of development. At that point, the engineering scope is effectively frozen, meaning major design decisions should already be resolved.

The focus then shifts towards refinement, value engineering and preparing for execution. Teams continue improving the design, identifying efficiencies and sharpening costs where possible, but the overall project concept should remain stable.

For LGF, FEED completion also allows the project to move forward with greater confidence into procurement, planning, financing and delivery preparation activities ahead of FID.

7. How important is FEED completion in reaching Final Investment Decision (FID)?

FEED completion is one of the most important milestones on the path to FID. Investors and financing partners need confidence that the project’s scope, costs, schedule and risks are sufficiently understood before committing capital.

In practice, FEED provides the level of engineering maturity needed to support investment decisions. It demonstrates that the project has moved beyond concept stage and is being developed against a realistic and technically validated delivery plan.

For many infrastructure projects, FEED is effectively the final gateway before full execution.

8. Why is reaching this stage significant not just for LGF, but for the UK SAF industry more broadly?

LGF completing FEED is significant because it demonstrates that large-scale second-generation SAF production in the UK is moving closer to reality.

The UK SAF sector has ambitious targets, but one of the industry’s biggest challenges is proving that projects can successfully progress from early-stage announcements into deliverable infrastructure. Reaching FEED helps demonstrate that this transition is possible.

It also shows growing confidence in the UK SAF market, particularly around the use of proven technologies, large-scale project integration and long-term investment into domestic fuel production capability.

9. After FEED completion, what comes next for LGF?

Following FEED, the next phase for LGF will focus on advancing towards construction readiness and Final Investment Decision.

That includes progressing planning and consenting (DCO) application, selecting and onboarding PMC and EPC contractors, confirmation of carbon capture access, project financing, feedstock and offtake agreements and negotiations on the Revenue Certainty Mechanism (RCM) once ready.

The project will also continue refining elements of the engineering package through follow-on engineering and value optimisation work as it moves towards the next major milestone of FID.  

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As LGF progresses toward construction and the next phase of delivery, we’ll continue sharing updates on the engineering, policy, partnerships and industrial progress shaping the future of UK Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

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