Firefly CEO in conversation – Sustainability in the Air podcast

Firefly CEO, James Hygate OBE, recently joined Dirk Singer on the Sustainability in the Air podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on one of the biggest challenges facing aviation: how to decarbonise at scale, and do it fast enough to matter.

The discussion focused on why Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) remains the most immediate and practical lever available to the sector. Unlike future aircraft concepts that may take decades to mature, SAF can be used today, in existing fleets and infrastructure. But as the conversation explored, not all SAF pathways are created equal. Feedstock choice, scalability and cost are critical if SAF is to move beyond niche supply and become a true solution for global aviation.

James shared how Firefly are tackling these challenges by focusing on commercial reality from day one. That means starting with an abundant, unavoidable waste feedstock, designing a process that produces a fuel chemically indistinguishable from fossil jet, and building a business model that can scale without relying on permanent subsidies.

The episode also highlighted the importance of honest dialogue in an industry that is often caught between ambition and delivery. Aviation is not short on ideas, but progress depends on solutions that work with today’s aircraft, economics and regulatory frameworks. Firefly’s Sewage Biosolids to Jet (SBtJ) pathway is designed to do exactly that, addressing both aviation emissions and the growing challenge of waste management in a single, circular system.

Huge thanks to Simpliflying for hosting such a thoughtful discussion and for continuing to create platforms that encourage open, informed debate about the future of aviation.

You can listen to the full episode of Sustainability in the Air featuring James here:

From sewage to jet fuel: Why Firefly Green Fuels believes waste could decarbonise aviation