Carriers meeting at the annual Airlines for Europe (A4E) Summit in Brussels called on policymakers to “supercharge” the production of sustainable aviation fuels across Europe through the introduction of competitive tax credits and the funding and support for nascent, emerging and established SAF projects or fuel producers. It is crucial that Europe supports affordable and reliable domestic production, they said in a “call to action”, particularly in the face of significant market pressure from global players outside of Europe. Meanwhile, A4E member Lufthansa Group has reported more than one million passengers have opted for its Green Fares tickets, which includes a provision for SAF offsetting, one year after their launch. European renewable fuels producer Neste has started supplies of blended SAF at Schiphol under an agreement with Emirates, while Sasol and Topsoe have launched their new joint venture Zaffra, located in Amsterdam, that will focus on SAF development and delivery.

At the forefront of A4E’s “call to action” is what it describes as “competitive decarbonisation” in a global market, to ensure Europe is a world leader in aviation’s net zero transformation.

“The next few years provide a real opportunity for change and we are setting out how we want to future-proof flying,” said A4E Managing Director Ourania Georgoutsakou at the opening to the trade body’s Summit in Brussels. “We are today making a pledge to improve the future of flying but can only do this if policymakers make the vital changes to support our decarbonisation efforts, providing real airspace reform, ensuring our sector remains competitive and completing a true single aviation market.”

A4E member airlines have been involved in a number of SAF commitments this month. International Airlines Group (IAG), made up of Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia and other carriers, signed a 14-year agreement with US startup Twelve for the supply of 785,000 tonnes of e-SAF, the groups biggest single SAF deal to date and the first e-SAF procurement by a European airline group (see article).

Following its purchase of 500 tonnes of SAF from Austrian energy company OMV last year, Ryanair reported it would take an additional 500 tonnes in 2024. Under an MoU between the two companies, Ryanair has access to purchase up to 160,000 tonnes of SAF during the period to 2030.

Another A4E member, AEGEAN, which first flew with SAF in 2021, is to expand its use of SAF under an agreement with Shell and MOH Aviation, who will supply a “significant” quantity of blended SAF at Stockholm Arlanda and London Heathrow airports. The Greek carrier said this marked the beginning of a gradual expansion of its SAF uplift programme, “where available”, throughout its entire network.

According to Lufthansa Group, an average of 3% of passengers have used its Green Fares tickets, with the tickets being selected by 11% of business class travellers via the Lufthansa Group portals. In total, travellers have offset around 77,000 tonnes of CO2. Offsetting of flight CO2 emissions is through SAF as well as by a contribution to high-quality climate protection projects. The group ensures the amount of SAF required for offsetting is fed into the airport infrastructure within six months of purchase.

Green Fares are available with Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, SWISS, Edelweiss, Discover Airlines and Air Dolomiti on more than 730,000 flights per year within Europe and to Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The group has been testing Green Fares on selected long-haul routes since November 2023.

Meanwhile, Finland-headquartered Neste has launched Neste Impact for businesses looking to reduce the carbon footprint of their air travel and transport activities. The solution is aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), enabling businesses to credibly report achieved emission savings and follows a book-and-claim approach. The related emission reduction achieved is third-party verified and further validated through the ISCC SAFc registry. Neste ensures the SAF is supplied to a partner airline and the purchased amount is verifiably used to replace fossil fuel.

UAE carrier Emirates has activated its fuel agreement with Neste at Amsterdam Schiphol and 2 million gallons of blended SAF will be supplied into the airport’s fuelling system over the course of 2024. The blended SAF will comprise over 700,000 gallons of neat SAF. The airline will track the delivery of SAF into the fuelling system and the environmental benefits using standard industry accounting methodologies.

Global chemicals and energy company Sasol and Danish carbon emission reduction technology specialist Topsoe have launched their joint venture, named Zaffra, which will be based in Amsterdam. The partners say the new company, to be headed by former Shell Aviation boss Jan Toschka, aims to advance SAF production and technologies.

Photo © Lufthansa Group

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Danish energy solutions provider Topsoe has signed a licensing and engineering agreement with Preem, Sweden’s largest fuel company, to provide its HydroFlex technology at Preem’s Lysekil refinery that will enable production of sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel. The refinery is currently being revamped and once it starts operations, scheduled for 2027, Preem expects to become one of Northern Europe’s biggest producers of SAF. Topsoe has become a leading global player in SAF production technology, with agreements signed recently in Asia and the United States. In June 2023, it entered a joint venture with global chemicals and energy company Sasol to develop, build, own and operate SAF plants utilising Sasol’s Fischer-Tropsch and Topsoe’s related technologies. The two companies have now appointed Shell’s President of Global Aviation, Jan Toschka, as CEO of the JV.

Commenting on its HydroFlex agreement with Preem, Topsoe’s Chief Commercial Officer Elena Scaltritti, said: “Society needs a significant upscaling of renewable fuels for aviation. We’re excited to take another step on the path to reduce carbon emissions in the transportation sector and aviation in particular. Together with Preem, we already have a proven track record of delivering impactful results within renewable fuels production and we’re looking forward to continuing working with Preem on this important task.”

Preem’s refineries in Lysekil and Gothenburg account for around 80% of the Swedish refinery capacity and 35-40% of the Nordic capacity. The company has set a goal that by 2035, it will produce five million cubic metres of renewable fuels annually and to achieve climate neutrality across its entire value chain.

At the Lysekil refinery, the HydroFlex technology will be utilised in Preem’s IsoCracker, a unit that breaks down molecules into lighter components and which will have a capacity of 1.2 million cubic metres per year (22,000 barrels per day) for the production of SAF and renewable diesel.

Topsoe says HydroFlex customers can convert various fats, oils and greases into drop-in renewable jet and diesel that meet all globally accepted specifications and can be deployed in both grassroots units and revamps for co-processing or fully renewable applications.

“We’re thrilled about the revamp of the Lysekil refinery, which is one of the most significant climate investments in Sweden,” said Peter Abrahamsson, Director of Sustainable Development at Preem. “The demand for sustainable aviation fuels is increasing rapidly and we are already in dialogue with several major airlines. With this investment, Preem takes another decisive step in the transition from fossil to renewable production.”

Topsoe’s 50/50 JV with Sasol, which is to be located in the Netherlands, aims to develop, build, own and operate SAF plants, as well as market SAF derived primarily from non-fossil feedstocks, utilising green hydrogen and sustainable sources of CO2 and/or biomass.

Jan Toschka will take up his role as CEO of the JV in March, when the new company will be launched. He has spent 14 years at Shell, culminating as President of Shell Aviation since November 2021.

“Jan holds unique competencies from having already been working within the aviation industry, and he has a highly entrepreneurial mindset, which is what we need to get the joint venture off to a great start,” commented Roeland Baan, Topsoe CEO. “There’s no time to waste in boosting production of SAF to decarbonise the aviation industry and with Jan joining, I am confident that the JV will deliver a remarkable contribution to the world’s global ambition of reaching net zero.”

Responded Toschka: “The joint venture is formed by two industry leaders whose ambition is to take on one of society’s biggest challenges, to help reduce the carbon footprint of the aviation industry. This industry is close to my heart and I am very excited to lead the new company.”

Replacing Toschka as President of Shell Aviation is Raman Ojha, who has 18 years of experience at Shell and previously headed up the company’s construction and road business.

Photo: Preem’s Lysekil refinery

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After a four-year absence due to the global pandemic, the aerospace industry returned in force to the Paris Air Show, which was marked not just by 1,260-plus orders and options for new aircraft, but also by a flood of product, procurement and partnership deals focused on reducing the sector’s impact on the environment. The event was also thick with news of zero-emission aircraft and propulsion systems, technology breakthroughs promising higher efficiency and lower emissions, and research and development programmes to refine or explore paths to more sustainable aviation. An order by India’s largest airline, IndiGo, for 500 Airbus A320 and 321 neo jets to accommodate huge growth plans beyond 2030, reinforced forecasts that the global commercial fleet will double in size over the next 20 years.

Multiple commitments and technology advances were announced for the evolving electric aviation sector, most with certification and entry-into-service targets between 2025 and 2030. Miami-based AeroLease announced it had signed a letter of intent (LOI) to acquire 50 Eviation Alice electric commuter planes, while Netherlands-based start-up Maeve Aerospace unveiled a revised version of its proposed 44-seat Maeve 01 all-electric aircraft, to be powered with four 1.2 Mw electric motors. Maeve is aiming for certification in 2028 and entry into commercial service in 2030.

French start-up Aura Aero confirmed commitments and collaborations in Europe, the US and Africa for its ERA electric thrust aircraft, which will be offered in passenger and freight configurations. Maltese executive fleet operator Elit’ Avia and French regional carrier Pan Europeene signed LOIs for a combined 12 planes. Additionally, Utah-based freight airline Alpine Air Express signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to assist Aura Aero in gaining US certification for the ERA and Gabon-based AfriJet signed a MoU, which, while not specifying details, the airline’s CEO, Marc Gaffajoli, described as “for us, the most plausible and mature solution.”

Marseille-based airframer Daher, together with Airbus and Safran, exhibited for the first time their EcoPulse aircraft, a hybrid-electric distributed propulsion testbed, which will rely on a single independent electrical source to power multiple engines. Based on Daher’s TBM aircraft platform, the EcoPulse has six wing-mounted e-propellers provided by Safran, and two power sources – a Safran gas turbine and a battery pack supplied by Airbus. The demonstrator will begin flight testing later this year as part of a programme to define, develop and deliver a hybrid-powered plane to market by 2027.

Another French start-up, Beyond Aero, unveiled its four-passenger BYA-1 hydrogen-electric jet, while the Volt Aero Cassio 330, a 4-5 seat hybrid-electric aircraft, was also displayed ahead of its first flight in the coming weeks.

US-based electric powertrain developer MagniX said it would soon start converting a De Havilland Dash 7 aircraft into a zero-emission testbed, replacing two of its four Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A engines with new MagniX 650 electric motors, and a pair of 450kwH battery packs. Another electric propulsion developer, Wright Electric, announced that ground trials of its new aerospace motor-generator had delivered 1 Megawatt (1,300 horsepower) of energy, enabling it to be used as a turbogenerator or auxiliary power unit for high altitude commercial or defence applications.

Airbus announced a research and development partnership with Geneva-based STMicroelectronics to explore the development of lighter, more efficient power electronics required for future hybrid-powered aircraft and all-electric air taxis. They will focus on wide bandgap Silicon Carbide and Gallium Nitride semiconductor materials, which have better electrical properties than conventional conductors such as silicon.

Rolls–Royce revealed it was ready to test its first small gas turbine, developed as a turbogenerator system for novel propulsion aircraft including electric air taxis, and hybrid-electric commuter planes seating up to 19 passengers. Additionally, regional jet maker Embraer announced a joint venture with Japanese electric motor manufacturer NIDEC to develop propulsion systems for eVTOL aircraft, with Embraer’s air taxi division Eve Air Mobility the launch customer.

Hydrogen propulsion developer ZeroAvia announced multiple deals, the largest of them an agreement to deliver 250 hydrogen-electric ZA2000 engines for 40-80 seat turboprop conversions to California-based Flyshare, which will launch a new airline, Air Cahana, on the west coast. UK-based lessor Monte also firmed a previously-provisional order for 100 ZA 600 powertrains for 9-19 seat aircraft, while French lessor Green Aerolease signed an MoU to acquire an unspecified number of ZA 600 units.

ZeroAvia also revealed that in tests with MHIRJ, the type certificate holder for CRJ regional jets, “clear applications” had been identified to retrofit regional jet aircraft with hydrogen-electric propulsion systems. The initial aircraft suitable for conversion to ZeroAvia’s proposed ZA 2000RJ powertrain would be a CRJ 700 aircraft, though the technical study also validated conversions of other in-service CRJ-series jets, including the CRJ 500 and 990 models.

Another zero-emission start-up, Sydney-based Dovetail Electric Aviation, announced a partnership with HTWO, the hydrogen power division of Korea’s Hyundai Motor Company, to test a hydrogen-electric powertrain for regional aircraft, with a view to commencing test flights as early as next year.

Deutsche Aircraft revealed the first metal was being cut for the prototype of its 40-seat D328eco regional airliner, a 100% SAF-compatible turboprop, which is scheduled for its first flight in 2025 and targeting entry into service by 2026, while at the opposite end of the scale US-based Jet Zero revealed its Z4 blended wing concept, targeted as a replacement for mid-market aircraft including the Boeing 767 and 787-8, with fuel burn savings of up to 50%.

The Airbus research arm UpNext announced a new test programme to investigate the replacement of a fossil-fuelled auxiliary power unit with a hydrogen fuel cell system to power non-propulsive aircraft functions including air conditioning, cabin lighting and avionics. An A330-200 jet will be retrofitted for the programme, taking to the air by late 2025.

Airbus also signed a MoU with US-based SAF producer LanzaJet to advance the construction of facilities to produce sustainable aviation fuel using LanzaJet’s alcohol-to-jet technology, while global energy company Sasol and Topsoe, a specialist in carbon reduction technologies, agreed to form a 50-50 joint venture to develop, build, own and operate new SAF plants, and market renewable fuels. E-fuel producer Twelve also used the Paris show to announce plans for SAF production from CO2 and renewable energy at a new plant to be built in the US state of Washington.

United Airlines Ventures revealed that another seven to eight partners would join its Sustainable Flight Fund within the next two months, and foreshadowed investment in new SAF offtake deals as producers built renewable fuel capacity.

On the eve of the Paris Air Show, seven chief technology officers from major aviation manufacturers released a statement committing to “supporting policies that increase the supply of SAF while ensuring a consistent and predictable demand through harmonised global measures.”

The CTOs of Airbus, Boeing, Dassault Aviation, GE Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce and Safran added: “We are unified in the proposition that our industry has a prosperous and more sustainable future, and that we can make it happen through the near-term implementation of lasting industry-wide and globalised harmonised policies.”

Photo: French President Emmanuel Macron visits Aura Aero display at the Paris Air Show

Danish decarbonisation technology solutions company Topsoe has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with South Africa-based global energy and chemicals company Sasol with the intent to establish a 50/50 joint venture to develop sustainable aviation fuel production. The JV aims to build, own and operate ventures producing SAF based on Sasol’s Fischer-Tropsch technology and Topsoe’s own relevant SAF technologies. It will produce SAF derived from non-fossil feedstock, utilising green hydrogen, sustainable sources of CO2 and/or biomass. The companies say their unique and complementary technologies offer multiple pathways to SAF production at scale. Topsoe has also signed a global licensing agreement with Steeper Energy for Steeper’s Hydrofaction technology, used for converting biomass to renewable biocrude oil. With the agreement, Topsoe will be able to provide a complete waste-to-fuel technology solution, with end products including SAF, marine biofuel and renewable diesel.

Commenting on the MoU with Sasol, Topsoe CEO Roeland Baan said: “It underlines our ambition to help decarbonise some of the most critical sectors in the world. If we are to reach net zero on a global scale by 2050 in order to fight climate change, all solutions need to be put into play. Creating a low-carbon aviation sector is an important piece of the puzzle, and we’re excited to extend our partnership with Sasol to help speed up decarbonisation. Combined, we have the technologies, capabilities and willingness to take the lead.”

Sasol has over 70 years’ experience in Fischer-Tropsch technology and says its Sasol EcoFT business has the expertise to produce sustainable fuels and chemicals from green hydrogen and sustainable carbon sources via the power-to-liquids process. Sasol and Topsoe have been strategic partners for more than 25 years.

“Sasol is excited to enter this MoU with Topsoe to further Sasol’s long-term global sustainable aviation fuel ambition, as advanced in recent years by Sasol ecoFT, which was established to pursue SAF opportunities globally,” commented Sasol CEO Fleetwood Grobler. “The MoU is underpinned by decades of collaboration between our companies in technology development, commercialisation and operations. The combination of these building blocks and know-how to offer solutions in aviation decarbonisation is very exciting.”

The waste-to-fuel licensing agreement with Steeper Energy means Topsoe will be able to offer a one-stop solution for refineries, project developers and industries having access to excess waste biomass, such as residues from forestry and agriculture. Steeper’s Hydrofaction proprietary technology is based on hydrothermal liquefaction, which applies supercritical water as a reaction medium for the conversion of biomass directly into a high-energy density renewable biocrude oil. With the technology, it is possible to convert up to 85% of incoming biomass on an energy basis, claims the company, “making it one of the most effective conversion technologies available”.

“Combining our technological capabilities with Steeper will make it easier for refineries and project developers to access the technology they need for advanced biofuels,” explained Peter Vang Christensen, SVP Clean Fuels & Chemicals – Technology for Topsoe. “It will also allow them to access new renewable feedstocks while supporting decarbonisation of the transportation sector, not least aviation and shipping.”

Photo: Copenhagen Airports A/S

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Airbus has announced a range of new international agreements to help progress the preparedness of airports to deliver hydrogen fuel. The company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Linde, a global industrial gases and engineering group, to jointly investigate hydrogen production, airport storage and integration of refuelling into existing ground handling operations. Both companies will define and undertake pilot projects at multiple airports worldwide from early next year. Airbus has also announced agreements with European LCC Wizz Air to explore the potential for hydrogen-powered aircraft operations and with Suzhou Industrial Park in eastern China to establish the Airbus China Research Centre, which will study advanced technologies including hydrogen energy infrastructure. And it has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with airports trade body ACI Europe to help ensure sufficient infrastructure is in place to support zero emission aircraft technologies, including hydrogen fuel. In addition to their hydrogen partnership, Airbus and Linde will also investigate the potential of power-to-liquid (PtL) fuels, reports Tony Harrington. Meanwhile, Deutsche Aircraft has signed a MoU with Sasol ecoFT on PtL technology collaboration.

Hydrogen propulsion is rapidly evolving as an option for short to medium haul air transport, with Airbus planning to introduce a family of hydrogen-powered aircraft from the mid-2030s. In 2020, the company announced its ZEROe concept for hydrogen-powered aircraft, and launched ‘Hydrogen Hub at Airports’, a programme designed to drive research into the infrastructure needed to transition to low carbon airport operations. Agreements have since been signed with partners and airports in France, Italy, South Korea, Japan and Singapore. 

The global partnership between Airbus and Linde expands a cooperation agreement the companies signed in Singapore in February. “We are advancing well with hydrogen as an important technology pathway to achieve our ambition of bringing a zero-emission aircraft to market by 2035,” said Sabine Klauke, Airbus CTO. “That’s why we are working closely with partners like Linde, who have decades of experience and expertise worldwide in the storage and distribution of hydrogen.” 

Linde’s VP Clean Energy, Philippe Peccard, welcomed the global expansion of his company’s collaboration with Airbus. “By harnessing both companies’ competencies, we are well positioned to collaborate with airports and government authorities in the development of viable concepts for sustainable airport hubs based on hydrogen,” he said.  

Airbus also continues to enter hydrogen research partnerships with airlines, most recently joining the Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air, a major Airbus customer, to evaluate logistics and opportunities for the new fuel. Under the terms of an MoU, the two will explore the potential of hydrogen-powered operations for ultra-low-cost airlines, specifically focusing on the impact hydrogen aircraft will have on Wizz Air’s fleet, operations and infrastructure. The companies will examine specific aircraft characteristics, including flight range and refuelling time, and how these factors might impact the airline’s network, flight scheduling, ground bases and operations at airports.

“We believe that growth and sustainability are not mutually exclusive, with leading-edge new technology paving the way to more sustainable air travel,” said Johan Eidhagen, Wizz Air’s Chief People and ESG Officer. “This momentous agreement with Airbus will advance sustainable aviation across the globe through development of ultra-efficient operations and business models of the future.”  

Glenn Llewellyn, Airbus VP Zero Emission Aircraft, said such partnerships with airlines were vital for the company in its development of zero emission aircraft. “Understanding airline fleet and network performance enables us to better define the architectural characteristics for future ZEROe aircraft as well as the impact on airports, ground support and route network,” he said. “We are very pleased to have Wizz Air on board to collaborate on the ongoing research and development into the requirements for hydrogen aircraft operations within a hydrogen-powered aviation ecosystem.”

Airbus said its collaboration with ACI Europe further aims to develop the hydrogen ecosystem by preparing the associated supporting airport infrastructure and bring these to market. It will promote the set-up of technical standards and guidance facilitating the uptake of SAF, hydrogen and electric-powered aircraft, as well as make proposals for the emergence of a policy and regulatory framework.

The establishment of a new research centre in Suzhou will provide research services in advanced manufacturing, hydrogen energy infrastructure, sustainability, electrification and other new technologies, reports China Daily. Operations are due to start in 2023.

While Airbus and Linde plan to also investigate power-to-liquid fuels, another aviation partnership has announced plans to progress the development of PtL and support its certification as a sustainable aviation fuel. Germany’s Deutsche Aircraft and South African chemicals and energy group Sasol ecoFT have signed an MoU to progress technology to produce green hydrogen-based PtL SAF, as part of the aircraft manufacturer’s D328eco aircraft programme.

Deutsche Aircraft is targeting 2026 for certification of this new regional aircraft, which it wants to be compatible with PtL as well as other certified SAF and regular kerosene. Fischer-Tropsch technology specialist Sasol ecoFT converts gasified biomass feedstocks or captured carbon dioxide into liquid fuels. The company is experienced in coal-to-liquid conversion, which is chemically similar to PtL SAF, and will begin their partnership by testing the compatibility of blended synthetic fuels produced through this process.

“Sasol ecoFT and Deutsche Aircraft stand at the beginning of a decarbonisation journey,” said Regina Pouzolz, Head of Sustainability for Deutsche Aircraft. “We both have products originally designed in the age of fossil fuels. Together we can develop rapid solutions to combat climate change by improving our products while building on our heritage and expertise.”

Sasol ecoFT VP Helga Sachs added: “Joining forces between aircraft manufacturers and fuel producers is vital if we want to ensure that aviation becomes sustainable, while enjoying the highest possible safety standards. We are extremely excited about the partnership with Deutsche Aircraft as we take a holistic approach to climate-neutral aviation by looking at the whole value chain from fuel production up to aircraft system level.” 

Photo: Sabine Klauke, Airbus CTO and Philippe Peccard, VP Clean Energy, Linde, sign cooperation agreement at the ILA Airshow in Berlin

An international consortium has been formed to produce sustainable aviation fuels in Germany by combining carbon dioxide extracted from cement production with green hydrogen generated from wind and solar energy. CEMEX, a global construction materials group headquartered in Mexico, will supply CO2 generated at its cement plant in Rüdersdorf, near Berlin, the green hydrogen will come from the German renewable energy company ENERTRAG and the ecoFT business unit of South African energy and chemicals group Sasol will provide the technology to convert the combined CO2 and hydrogen to e-kerosene for blending with jet fuel. The three companies are equal partners in the newly-founded venture, Concrete Chemicals GmbH. The project is significant as it singly reduces the emissions of two hard-to-abate global industries, air transport and cement production, and will contribute to the EU’s planned mandatory minimum blending quota for power-to-liquid (PtL) e-kerosene, reports Tony Harrington.

Around 60% of carbon emissions in the cement production process comes from the chemical reaction that occurs in cement kilns. CEMEX operates 63 cement plants globally, and by 2030 wants its Rüdersdorf facility to be the world’s first to achieve net zero emissions. Through its venture capital division, CEMEX Ventures, the company is partnering with a range of industries to help achieve carbon neutrality through the use of technologies that can capture, store or recycle CO2 emissions created in making cement. A Rüdersdorf carbon neutral alliance has been formed that includes over 20 startups, universities, authorities and companies from other industries to develop industrial-scale solutions.

“We are excited to be part of this groundbreaking project that will contribute to the decarbonisation of two of the world’s key industries,” said Fernando Gonzalez, the Chief Executive Officer of CEMEX, which initially will provide the project with 100 tonnes of CO2 per day from the Rüdersdorf plant. “The path to carbon neutrality will be built with innovation, and we remain committed to being at the forefront in developing new circular technologies and processes.”

The project has two scaling stages and in the first phase, 15,000 tonnes of e-kerosene will be produced annually. The 100 tonnes of CO2 captured at the Rüdersdorf site daily will be combined with 12 tonnes of hydrogen, produced on site with electricity from regional renewable energy plants, for use in PtL production. In the second stage, the aim is to receive larger quantities of hydrogen by pipeline. The green hydrogen will be produced as part of the ENERTRAG-IPCEI ‘Electrolysis Corridor East Germany’ project, which will have an electrolysis capacity of 210 MW, and capability for the production of 35,000 tonnes of e-kerosene annually. The Concrete Chemicals venture will connect to other ongoing hydrogen projects in Germany.

ENERTRAG, based in Brandenburg, Germany, develops, constructs and operates integrated energy plants in 10 countries, producing green hydrogen from wind and solar power, while Sasol Group is a specialist in the development and use of Fischer-Tropsch (FT) technologies, which convert green hydrogen and carbon emissions to sustainable fuels and chemicals. In this project, the e-kerosene produced will, once certified, be suitable for blending to constitute up to 50% of jet fuel.

“Sasol is proud to be an active member of this consortium that paves the way for climate-neutral cement production and sustainable aviation fuels,” commented Dr Helge Sachs, SVP Sasol ecoFT. “We look forward to contributing towards decarbonising aviation with our cutting-edge Fischer-Tropsch technology and fulfil our purpose of innovating for a better world.”

To implement the project, the consortium is preparing funding applications, which it said “will be notified at a European level”.

Photo: The CEMEX Rüdersdorf site