Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support his Department provides to UK companies developing synthetic hydrocarbons as alternatives to conventional fossil fuels; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential role of synthetic hydrocarbon fuels in the UK’s transition to lower-carbon energy sources.

Given that low carbon fuels will find their primary application in transport decarbonisation, this policy area is led by the Department for Transport. Low carbon fuels, including synthetic hydrocarbons produced from sustainable biomass and other renewable energy sources, will play a critical role in meeting legislated carbon budgets and the Net Zero 2050 target. The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation and the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate provide support for low carbon fuel supply in surface transport and aviation, respectively. The Advanced Fuels Fund has allocated over £198 million to support UK alternative fuel production, including synthetic hydrocarbons, with 21 projects supported.