US fuel maker World Energy LLC has obtained key permits for the expansion of its Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) plant in Southern California, a USD-2-billion (EUR 1.84bn) project in which it will partner with hydrogen producer Air Products and industrial company Honeywell (NASDAQ:HON).
The company said on Friday it will boost the Paramount facility’s output to 340 million gallons per year. By 2050, it will produce fuels that would displace more than 76 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2), World Energy calculates.
The plant has been producing SAF at a commercial scale for six years already. Its owner will now work with more than 15 firms to accelerate the decarbonisation of aviation.
“We are pulling together the very best companies in the world with the expertise, experience, commitment, and focus to collaborate on pushing the frontier of what can be done to decarbonize aviation today while building a platform for what needs to be done to decarbonize flight entirely by 2050,” commented World Energy CEO Gene Gebolys.
Global air transport companies and businesses heavily reliant on aviation are entering into long-term agreements for fuel from the existing plant and expansion project.
Air Products and World Energy will work together to support a transition to green hydrogen inputs, further reducing the carbon intensity of the fuels produced at the facility. Air Products has already extended its Southern California hydrogen pipeline network to supply hydrogen to the existing World Energy production and distribution hub and to further increase supply reliability for Air Products’ customers in the region.
Honeywell UOP's EcofiningTM technology has been used at the Paramount plant since it first started producing SAF. The company and World Energy are partnering to integrate more efficient production processes, new process pathways using new sustainable feedstocks, low-carbon hydrogen, and carbon capture technologies.
The SAF by World Energy is made from renewable resources with no fossil-based feedstock. It is not co-processed with fossil fuel in traditional oil refineries. The lifecycle carbon emissions are up to 80% lower than these of conventional jet fuel.
At present, the SAF can be used in a 50/50 blend with conventional jet fuel for commercial use. World Energy is working to gain approval for 100% renewable SAF use in regular commercial aviation.
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Author: Gabriel Jorby.
