Global Bioenergies develops high-selectivity e-SAF for sustainable aviation
Global Bioenergies has announced a significant advancement in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) technology by extending its process to produce e-SAF with a record selectivity rate of 95%. This development utilises acetic acid derived from CO2 and hydrogen produced using renewable electricity, marking a crucial step towards decarbonising the aviation sector.
The company’s new e-SAF process stands out due to its high selectivity, meaning that more than 95% of the output can be used as jet fuel, surpassing other existing e-SAF technologies. This advancement not only maximises decarbonation impacts but also provides an alternative to bio-SAFs, which rely on plant resources. The process is now moving from proof of concept to pre-industrial development. By 2027, the company will be operating its innovative process in a large-scale plant.
Today, there is no industrial-scale production of e-SAF, and no aircraft has yet flown fully on e-SAF. Two families of e-SAF production processes are currently being developed by various players. Both are based on chemical approaches:
– The first uses the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process;
– The second involves the production of e-methanol, which is then converted into e-SAF.
In both cases, the selectivity of the process to SAF is lower than Global Bioenergies’ e-SAF process, meaning a larger fraction of side-products will be marketed as e-gasoline or e-diesel, at a lower price.
Global Bioenergies’ CEO, Marc Delcourt, highlighted the flexibility its new process brings, allowing for adaptation based on regional resource availability. This innovation is particularly beneficial for regions with limited plant resources, such as Europe and North Asia.
Global Bioenergies and SkyNRG have worked together on developing SAF technologies. SkyNRG has been involved in the ASTM certification process of Global Bioenergies’ SAF platform, which is essential for ensuring the fuel meets international safety and performance standards.
Eva van Mastbergen, team lead R&D at SkyNRG, praised the development, emphasising the importance of diversifying technologies to meet the growing global demand for SAF driven by regulatory mandates like the EU’s ReFuelEU Aviation initiative.
