Aviation fuel: Government’s failure on refineries means we are importing fuel from questionable sites using Russian oil, Unite

Unite, the UK's leading union, has strongly criticised the government's lack of a cohesive plan for energy, after it opened up the UK to imports of aviation fuel produced from Russian oil, when that could have been made by the two UK refineries it allowed to close last year.

Last year the government allowed two of the UK's six refineries, Grangemouth and Lindsey, to close, despite Unite warnings on energy security. Both refineries produced aviation fuel. Following the United States war on Iran and the blockade of the Straits of Hormuz, the UK is now facing a shortage of aviation fuel.

The government's response has been to import fuel from refineries accused of human rights violations and even to bring in jet fuel made from Russian oil.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The government is guilty of industrial vandalism. It has allowed two of our six UK refineries to close. We could be producing our own green aviation fuel, which would be better for jobs, the environment and energy security. Instead, we are now importing fuel from questionable sites using Russian oil. The government needs to learn its lessons from this.” 

Unite produced a detailed plan about how the Grangemouth refinery could be transitioned to produced Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The increasing use of SAF is part of the government's green aviation strategy, but it has failed to ensure that SAF can be produced in the UK. Instead, the UK is set to be reliant on importing SAF to meet its own targets.

The government's failure to develop a cohesive plan for the production of aviation fuel and SAF is mirrored throughout the North Sea, where workers are facing a jobless transition. The government is intent on refusing new licences for exploration in the North Sea and employment is reducing, without ensuring that sufficient similar jobs are being created for workers to go into.

Sharon Graham added: “The government's current ‘clean energy jobs plan' is a jobs plan without any jobs. The only investment commitment in it is £22.5 million on a few training schemes.  

“Until we have a real plan, with real investment in our future jobs and energy security, the government should not be abandoning what we already have in the name of net zero. Put simply, they should not be letting go of one rope before they have hold of another.”