Honeywell, Samsung and others launch SAF Technology Alliance

Honeywell, Johnson Matthey, GIDARA Energy and Samsung E&A have formed an alliance to accelerate the development of biomass and municipal waste-based sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The alliance will draw on each company’s expertise to introduce a joint technology offering, and expects to reduce the time between feasibility study and facility startup by more than 15% and capital expenditures by up to 10%.

The new SAF product will be developed through the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process, which was co-developed by Johnson Matthey and BP and converts synthesis gas produced from biomass and municipal waste into synthetic crude oil, and later SAF.

Unlocking ‘abundant feedstock options’

With the alliance, the firms aim to “unlock abundant, globally available feedstock options to help meet the growing demand for SAF and support energy security”. 

GIDARA Energy will deliver the gasification technology to produce synthetic gas (syngas) for feedstock transformation; Johnson Matthey will bring catalysts and technology to turn syngas into fuels; Honeywell will provide process technology and digital automation solutions; and all will leverage Samsung E&A’s expertise in engineering, procurement, construction and project execution management.

“The alliance targets the common challenges faced by SAF producers and offers a new way forward with greater speed and lower capital expense cost. Bringing such leading expertise together is critical in supporting our customers to reach the final investment decision on their projects and can help accelerate the deployment of SAF worldwide,” said Maurits van Tol, CEO of Catalyst Technologies, Johnson Matthey.

Scaling SAF production methods

Hong Namkoong, President and CEO of SAMSUNG E&A, added: "Delivering end-to-end SAF solutions requires more than innovation – it demands strong alliances with world-class technology providers. By integrating these advanced technologies and leveraging our proven engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) execution excellence, we are building a resilient and scalable SAF value chain that will drive the future of sustainable aviation.”

Over the near-term, the alliance hopes to scale the use of gasification and FT SAF production methods, while allowing biomass and municipal solid waste to be used as feedstocks. The International Energy Agency estimates that biofuels produced from waste and non-food energy crops will meet more than 40% of total biofuel demand by 2030 (up from around 9% in 2021).