HIF Global starts engineering for US drop-in eSAF facility

Alternative fuels producer HIF Global has commenced the engineering process for its first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) facility in the US, which could produce 11,000 barrels per day of eSAF by 2030.

The company has engaged Johnson Matthey Plc (LON:JMAT) and Honeywell (NASDAQ:HON) to conduct preliminary engineering for the facility, the parties said last week.

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eSAF is produced from recycled carbon dioxide (CO2) and green hydrogen, and can be dropped-in to existing jet engines.

The project will employ Johnson Matthey’s technology to produce eMethanol from green hydrogen and recycled CO2. This technology is currently in operation at the HIF Haru Oni demonstration plant in Chile.

The eMethanol will be upgraded into eSAF via the Honeywell UOP eFining technology, which uses Honeywell’s methanol to olefins and oligomerisation process.

“The ability to partner with an industry leader like HIF Global to use readily abundant CO2 to produce eSAF is a transformational opportunity for this market,” according to Lucian Boldea, president and chief executive of Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies.