Honeywell, on Wednesday, launched a new ethanol-to-jet fuel (ETJ) processing technology to convert corn-based, cellulosic, or sugar-based ethanol into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The latest technology was developed at the Honeywell India Technology Center in Gurugram.
The company said that based on the type of ethanol feedstock used, jet fuel produced from the company’s ETJ fuel process can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80 per cent on a total lifecycle basis, compared to petroleum-based jet fuel.
“Honeywell pioneered SAF production with its Ecofining technology, and our new ETJ fuel process builds on that original innovation to support the global aviation sector’s efforts to reduce GHG emissions and meet SAF production targets with an abundant feedstock like ethanol,” said Barry Glickman, Vice President and General Manager, Honeywell Sustainable Technology Solutions.
According to Honeywell, demand for SAF continues to grow, yet the aviation industry is challenged by limited supplies of traditional SAF feedstocks. Ethanol offers producers a widely available, economically viable feedstock. Honeywell’s ready-now technology uses high-performance catalysts and heat management capabilities to maximize production efficiency, resulting in a cost-effective, lower carbon-intensity aviation fuel.
“At COP26, India committed to get 50 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable sources,” said Ashish Gaikwad, Vice President and General Manager, Honeywell UOP India. “Developed by engineers at Honeywell India Technology Center in Gurugram, this technology provides the country with an alternative to help reduce reliance on fossil fuels for India’s growing aviation sector,” he added.
A 2021 life-cycle analysis by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory concluded that ethanol-to-jet fuel conversion, combined with other technologies, such as carbon capture and sequestration (CCUS) and smart farming practices, can result in negative GHG emissions compared to petroleum-based jet fuel, said the company.