A joint venture between Sasol and international energy research company Topsoe has set a challenging target to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2).2) Emissions in the aviation industry. The stark reality is that the aviation sector is a significant source of carbon dioxide.2 Pollution; this alone accounts for 2% of global carbon emissions.
Unfortunately, neither Sasol, as a chemical and fuel producer, nor Topso, as a research and chemical engineering company, can currently do much about the major airline engines, which emit large amounts of carbon dioxide.2 From the moment it starts until it reaches its destination and stops. The idea is to look at the entire aviation fuel supply chain and reduce carbon wherever possible.
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Mr. Jan Toszka, recently appointed Director-General sustainable aviation fuel Joint venture, overall say CO2 Emissions can be reduced by producing aviation fuel from sustainable raw materials rather than from traditional fossil fuels such as coal, coal products, natural gas, crude oil, petroleum products, and non-renewable waste.
“Sustainable feed ingredients can be of plant or animal origin, or they can be CO.2 “It is captured from the air and combined with water and renewable electricity in a very special process to turn it into a liquid fuel with the same components as aviation fuel,” he says.
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“However, jet fuel goes through a very rigorous certification process before it is certified.
“Sustainable aviation fuels must have chemical and physical properties that are very similar to traditional jet fuel,” says Toshka.
“To ensure technical and safety compliance, new aviation fuel pathways must undergo rigorous laboratory, ground and flight testing based on internationally recognized standards.
“Sustainable aviation fuels are still blended with conventional fuels, but by using sustainable feedstocks with a lower carbon footprint, the fuel has a lower net carbon footprint and is more sustainable. .”
focused entity
Sasol and Topso announced their intention to form a joint venture for sustainable aviation fuel production in June 2023, and following Toshka's appointment in January, the project is set to begin in earnest. ing.
The venture aims to leverage the combined unique and innovative technologies, capabilities and industry experience of the two parent companies to help the aviation industry achieve its decarbonization goals.
Topsaw says in company documents that sustainable aviation fuel is a reality. “Sustainable aviation fuel is no longer just an idea for smart people in white coats; it is a necessity for low-carbon travel.
“Our suite of proven technologies is poised to produce sustainable aviation fuel,” says Topsaw.
“We provide world-leading solutions to convert renewable resources into fuels and chemicals for a sustainable world, enabling efficient, low-carbon fuel production and clean air.” the company says.
Toshka acknowledges that jet engines still emit carbon when burning liquid fuels, but using sustainable aviation fuels ensures that net emissions are lower. “This is conceptually about the circular economy.
“Instead of taking carbon out of the ground, [fossil-based feed stocks] emit CO2 due to combustion and increased surface carbon dioxide2rather use carbon feedstock from renewable sources [like plants, which capture CO2 from the air to grow] It produces sustainable fuels and replaces fossil fuels,” he says.
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In the long term, reducing aviation's carbon footprint will require efforts from the entire aviation industry. Aircraft manufacturers, airports, fuel producers and raw material suppliers need to work together to find sustainable solutions.
multiple routes
Mr. Toshka said the joint venture is one of the most sustainable and promising routes for the use of sustainable carbon dioxide sources (ultimately captured directly from the air) and renewable energy (such as wind and solar power). He said that it is based on the belief that
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“This could have a very large impact on the aviation industry’s greenhouse gas emissions.
“This joint venture will explore opportunities to utilize green hydrogen and sustainable carbon dioxide sources to produce sustainable aviation fuels derived from non-fossil fuel feedstocks.”2 and/or biomass. This will combine his Fischer Tropsch technology from Sasol with related technology from Topsoe,” he says.
“Topsoe offers a wide range of technologies in addition to those directly complementary to Sasol's, enabling multiple pathways to seize global sustainable aviation fuel opportunities.”
He said solutions and changes will take time as the airline industry is complex with many stakeholders across the value chain. “However, the industry is working to reduce emissions and there is already sustainable aviation fuel on the market, albeit in relatively small quantities.”
aviation fuel
Toschka provided some technical background on aviation fuels and a glimpse of the path the joint venture is embarking on.
“The most common aviation fuels are jet fuel and avgas. [aviation gasoline]. “Long-haul aircraft like Boeing and Airbus use jet fuel,” he said, adding that jet fuel is a refined kerosene-based colorless fuel that is used in aircraft with turbine engines, such as turboprops and jet engines. explained that it is used in
“There are two main types of jet fuel: Jet A and Jet A1. Airlines can use both fuels interchangeably for flight operations, but there are some differences in manufacturing specifications.
“When we refer to sustainable aviation fuel, it includes components that are compatible with jet fuel,” he added.
“Sustainable aviation fuels currently approved by the International American Society for Testing and Materials, which brings together hundreds of researchers, technical experts, and scientists to determine technical requirements to ensure fuel safety.” There are 7 routes.
“Each pathway to producing sustainable aviation fuel represents a different manufacturing process depending on the type of feedstock,” Toschka said, adding that different American Society for Testing and Materials-approved processes and sustainable aviation Provides how much fuel can be mixed. For aviation fuel.
sustainable aviation fuel process
| path | material | Authentication name | Blend limit | ||||
| Fischer-Tropsch (FT) | Energy crops, lignocellulosic biomass, solid waste | FT-SPK | up to 50% | ||||
| Hydrogenated esters and fatty acids (HEFA) | Waste fats, oils and greases (FOG) of plant and animal origin | HEFA-SPK | up to 50% | ||||
| Direct conversion of sugars to hydrocarbons (DSHC) | Conventional sugars, lignocellulosic sugars | HFS-SIP | up to 10% | ||||
| Aromatic Fischer-Tropsch | energy crops, lignocellulosic biomass, solid waste |
FT-SPK+A | up to 50% | ||||
| From Alcohol to Jet (AtJ) | Sugar, starch crops, lignocellulosic biomass | ATJ-SPK | up to 50% | ||||
| Catalytic Hydrothermal Cracking Jet (CHJ) | Waste fats, oils and greases (FOG) of plant and animal origin | CHJ or CH-SK | up to 50% | ||||
| HEFA from algae | microalgae oil | HC-HEFA-SPK | up to 10% | ||||
| FOG co-processing | Waste fats, oils and greases (FOG) of plant and animal origin | fog CP | up to 5% | ||||
| FT co-processing | Fischer-Tropsch biocrude oil | FT-CP | up to 5% |
*Note: FT routes are also possible via eFuels
Source: American Society for Testing and Materials
Sasol's Fischer-Tropsch technology, used to produce petrol from coal, is already on the list, lending credibility to joint venture aspirations.
Sasol said the joint venture would officially launch in the coming weeks, starting in March 2024, and promised to announce details at that time.
