Channel Infrastructure has announced that the scoping study for green hydrogen and synthetic Sustainable Aviation Fuel (e-SAF) production at Marsden Point is now progressing to the pre-feasibility stage. Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) will now progress its study to the pre-feasibility phase, which will include more detailed engineering and design studies and developing further detail on the economic viability of the project, following a successful scoping study that assessed the overall viability of producing eSAF for the domestic market at Marsden Point. The pre-feasibility study will investigate a 300MW, c.60 million litres per-year e-SAF production facility at Marsden Point, with the e-SAF to be distributed via the existing Marsden Point-to-Auckland Airport supply chain, as well as further analysis of the project's benefits to New Zealand, including the potential provision of large-scale demand response, enabling electricity to be released to the grid when needed.

The pre-feasibility phase of the project is being supported by the government through EECA (the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority). Underpinning government support is the potential demand response benefits that the facility could provide to the electricity market and ultimately New Zealand businesses and households.