EcoCeres has partnered with Evos, a major liquids and chemical storage group, to increase supplies of sustainable aviation fuel in Europe. Hong Kong-based renewable fuels producer EcoCeres has just shipped from China 10 million litres of sustainable blending component to the Evos storage facility in Ghent, Belgium, one of Europe’s largest and fastest-growing SAF storage terminals. The HEFA-SPK product, developed from waste fats and oils, was produced at the EcoCeres processing plant in Jiangsu Province, eastern China, which the company says has been recognised by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) – Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), accreditations which enable sale of the product in Europe. Meanwhile, Denmark’s Topsoe has been selected to support the Holborn renewable fuels complex, which is due to begin operations in Hamburg, Germany, early in 2027, with capacity to produce 220,000 tonnes of SAF and renewable diesel per year.

EcoCeres, which is backed by international investors Bain Capital and Kerogen Capital, produces hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) from waste grease and animal fats which can then be processed into SAF. The company’s Zhangjiagang renewable fuel refinery in Jiangsu Province, north of Shanghai, has capacity to produce up to 350,000 tonnes of HVO and SAF per year. A second plant is under construction in Johor, Malaysia, that will produce SAF, HVO and renewable naphtha, and expand the company’s annual production capacity by up to 400,000 tonnes. EcoCeres says it is currently serving a number of international airlines and their jet fuel suppliers directly.

The partnership with Evos integrates the EcoCeres product into Europe’s SAF supply chain at a time of rapidly increasing demand, ahead of the EU’s SAF blending mandate starting next year. Evos is a key infrastructure provider to the renewable fuels sector, with combined storage capacity for 6.4 million cubic metres of liquid energy and chemical supplies at terminals in Ghent, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Malta and Algeciras, Spain.

In January 2023 the Ghent terminal provided the first delivery of SAF through the NATO Central European Pipeline System (CEPS) to Brussels Airport and is now repurposing infrastructure in Ghent and Amsterdam to help accommodate soaring demand for SAF blending.

“We are thrilled to announce this collaboration with Evos, a well-established player with access to critical EU infrastructure,” said EcoCeres CEO James Ni. “It allows the repurposing of existing infrastructure, securing green jobs and providing our customers with an easy choice between fossil jet fuel and SAF.”

Evos CEO Harry Deans welcomed the collaboration with EcoCeres as part of broader efforts by the energy and aviation sectors to help decarbonise air transport. “Evos is proud to partner with EcoCeres and support the global transition to lower-carbon aviation,” he said. “This is a significant milestone for Evos Ghent and it enables further decarbonisation of the aviation supply chain.”

In Germany, Holborn Europa Raffinerie, an emerging producer of SAF and renewable diesel, has chosen Danish company Topsoe to provide technology to enable the conversion of waste and residue materials to low-carbon fuels.

Holborn, which already produces fuels and heating oils at its Hamburg refinery for that city and other parts of northern Germany, will use Topsoe’s HydroFlex conversion technology to additionally produce up to 220,000 tonnes of SAF and renewable diesel per year from early 2027. It will produce the SAF and HVO within the existing facility.

“Our complex in Hamburg is at the forefront of our commitment to implement the energy transition,” said the refiner’s CEO Lars Bergmann. “As such, it is vital we bring in the best technology to deliver on the high standards and specifications required for the project. Holborn is very pleased to sign this agreement with Topsoe, who are proven market leaders and whose technology is vital for processing our feedstock requirements.”

“To support the energy transition, we need a cleaner long-distance transport sector,” added Elena Scaltritti, Topsoe’s CCO. “A key step in securing this is by increasing production of SAF and renewable diesel. Holborn is spearheading the rollout of SAF in northern Europe through its Hamburg plant and we are proud to be part of this process. We look forward to delivering our technology and continue working with Holborn to accelerate the uptake of SAF in Europe and globally.”

Photo (EcoCeres): The vessel ClearOcean Marauder unloads 10 million litres of SAF to the Evos Ghent terminal

Tony Harrington

Correspondent

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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

Christopher Surgenor

Editor

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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

Christopher Surgenor

Editor

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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

Christopher Surgenor

Editor

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