Honeywell announces latest SAF production technology

Honeywell announced today that its hydrocracking technology could produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from biomass. This technology would help energy companies make sustainable fuel that is 90% less carbon intensive than traditional fossil-based jet fuels.

Honeywell’s latest technology produces 3-5% more SAF by utilising proprietary SAF selective Honeywell UOP hydrocracking and hydro-isomerisation catalysts. As a result, it allows up to 20% cost reductions and a significant reduction in by-product waste streams compared to other commonly used hydroprocessing technologies.

“Honeywell’s Fischer-Tropsch (FT) UnicrackingTM technology takes liquids and waxes from processed biomass – including leftovers from crops, wood waste or food scraps – and can be used to produce SAF that complies with the strict standards of the aviation industry and with a lower environmental impact,” as stated in the official release. This innovation closely aligns with its portfolio of three compelling megatrends, including the energy transition.

Last October, Honeywell announced plans to realign its portfolio around three megatrends: automation, the future of aviation, and energy transition. This shift aims to drive accelerated organic growth, optimise capital deployment, and create greater shareholder value. The realignment will be reflected in four segments, each leveraging Honeywell’s digitalisation capabilities and integrated software platform.

“As demand for SAF continues to grow, the aviation industry is challenged by limited supplies of traditional SAF feedstocks such as vegetable oils, animal fats and waste oils,” said Ken West, president and CEO, Honeywell Energy and Sustainability Solutions. West further added, “When combined with the existing Fischer-Tropsch process, our new technology will expand the feedstock options available in the industry to sources that are more plentiful, ultimately helping improve our customers’ ability to produce SAF.”

DG Fuels, a biosynthetic fuel production company based in Washington, has chosen Honeywell’s FT Unicracking technology for its biofuels manufacturing plant in Louisiana. This plant will be the largest in the world for producing SAF from the FT process and is expected to produce 13,000 barrels of SAF daily when it starts operations in 2028.

“Using Honeywell’s advanced technology, DG Fuels will supply enough fuel for more than 30,000 transatlantic flights every year, contributing significantly to reducing the carbon emissions of global air travel,” said Michael Darcy, CEO of DG Fuels. “This is a big leap forward in supporting the airline industry’s goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions from international aviation by 2050,” added Darcy.

Honeywell has played a crucial role in producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) with its EcofiningTM process, which has been used commercially since 2016. The company now offers solutions across various feedstocks to meet the rapidly growing demand for renewable fuels, including SAF.

In addition to Honeywell Unicracking and Ecofining, Honeywell’s renewable fuels portfolio includes Ethanol to Jet technology and eFining™, which converts green hydrogen and carbon dioxide into e-fuels. More than 50 sites globally have licensed Honeywell’s SAF technologies, with refineries projected to exceed a combined capacity of more than 500,000 barrels of SAF per day when fully operational.