Honeywell Unveils New Ethanol-to-Jet SAF Production Technology
Honeywell, one of the pioneers in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) refining technology, has developed a market-ready ethanol-to-jet (ETJ) processing pathway that will allow the production of SAF from corn-based, cellulosic, or sugar-based ethanol. As the demand for SAF continues to grow, much of it today is derived from animal fats, waste oils, and other non-food crop oils which could present supply limitations. Honeywell noted that ethanol represents a widely available and economically viable option that was approved as a SAF feedstock by ASTM International in 2018.
Depending on the composition of the ethanol feedstock, the company said the ETJ fuel can reduce total lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80 percent compared to fossil-derived jet-A. A recent study by the U.S. Department of Energy determined that the ETJ process when combined with technologies such as carbon capture and sequestration and smart farming practices could result in negative GHG emissions compared to conventional jet-A.
Using the Honeywell ETJ technology, SAF plants can be constructed in a modular design, allowing production to start more rapidly than is possible with traditional construction approaches. That design also permits the quick conversion of existing or idle refinery plants.
Last year, the Biden Administration issued the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge, calling for the U.S. aviation fuel supply sector to produce at least three billion gallons of SAF by 2030 on a path to meeting 100 percent of U.S. aviation fuel demand by 2050. Meanwhile, the European Council released its "Fit for 55" plan, which aims to increase the percentage of SAF at EU airports from 2 percent in 2025 to 63 percent by 2050. With those aspirational goals, the production and supply of SAF will require a vast increase.
“Honeywell pioneered SAF production with its Ecofining technology, and our new ethanol-to-jet fuel process builds on that original innovation to support the global aviation sector’s efforts to reduce GHG emissions and meet SAF production targets with an abundant feedstock like ethanol,” said Barry Glickman, v-p general manager of Honeywell's sustainable technology solutions division.
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