ERTC 2024 Conference Newspaper

ERTC 2024

Harnessing feedstock diversity for sustainable aviation fuel production

Javier Torroba johnson matthey

large-scale applications. Furthermore, the modular design allows for easy scalability, readily enabling plant size to be adapted to match available feedstock quantities. Our largest announced project to date has an expected capacity of 13,000 barrels per day once operational. Heat management is a critical factor in the FT process due to its highly exothermic reactions. The FT CANS reactor features a unique configuration that enhances heat transfer and control. This design minimises temperature fluctuations within the reac- tor, ensuring optimal reaction conditions and improving product yield and selectiv- ity. The efficient heat management also reduces the risk of hot spots and thermal degradation of the catalyst. The FT CANS reactor also boasts a high conversion rate, with CO conversion effi- ciencies exceeding 90%.⁴ This high conver- sion rate is achieved through an innovative radial flow design that maximises contact between the syngas and the catalyst. The reactor’s design facilitates efficient mass transfer, allowing for higher productivity and selectivity towards desired hydrocar- bon products. Case Studies and Real-World Applications ○ Louisiana Green Fuels Project: The Louisiana Green Fuels project illustrates the application of FT CANS technology using forestry waste as feedstock. Once operational, this project is expected to con- vert one million tons of forestry waste into 32 million gallons of biofuels annually. The project plans to incorporate carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) to further reduce emissions, with the aim of achieving one of the world’s lowest carbon footprints for fuel production. ○ Repsol and Aramco eFuel Plant: Another notable project is the Repsol and Aramco eFuel plant in Bilbao, Spain. This facility plans to produce synthetic fuel using green H₂ and CO₂ as feedstocks by integrating FT CANS technology with HyCOgen. The plant is designed to demonstrate commer- cial-scale production, converting more than 2,000 tons of CO₂ annually into high-qual- ity synthetic products, which can be refined into transportation fuels. ○ DG Fuels Project: DG Fuels has chosen FT CANS technology for its first SAF plant located in Louisiana, USA. This plant is the largest announced SAF production facil- ity in the world planning to use FT technol- ogy. With an expected capacity of 13,000 barrels per day once operational, it plans to utilise waste sugar cane biomass as feed- stock, converting it into synthetic crude, which will be further processed to produce SAF. This project highlights the scalability and efficiency of the FT CANS technology in large-scale SAF production.

Relying on a single feedstock for sustain- able aviation fuel (SAF) production is not a realistic option. The amount of SAF needed for the aviation sector to meet the growing number of mandates and targets around the world is likely to require contributions from all feedstocks and multiple process routes. While a lot of focus to date has been on hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) from used cooking oil, there is a lim- ited amount of this feedstock, with around 80% of the feedstock used in the EU com- ing from imports.¹ Although regions including the US, Europe, and the UK have led the way with mandates and incentives for SAF produc- tion, which has attracted feedstocks from around the world, as other regions inevita- bly bring in their own domestic targets, the reliance on importing feedstocks is a big threat to meeting SAF targets. Relying too heavily on HEFA and importing feedstocks is not a long-term solution. Quite simply, the status quo is flawed. Diversification of feedstocks is vital for the resilience of the biofuels industry. Relying on a single type of feedstock may leave fuel suppliers vulnerable to market volatility and supply chain disruptions in an emerging market. Fuel suppliers are the obligated parties under mandates in the EU and UK and are expected to deliver against SAF targets in regions like the US, Japan, and a growing list of others. By incorporat- ing a variety of feedstocks, both fuel suppli- ers and countries can take control of their own destinies and secure the SAF they need from domestic feedstocks. However, is there an alternative that can use a wide range of feedstocks, available around the world, to unlock domestic SAF production at scale and ensure countries can produce the SAF they need? Feedstock Diversity to unlock SAF at scale The Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process is based on a syngas platform and is an ASTM- approved route to produce synthetic SAF blendstocks. Syngas is a mixture of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H₂), and the FT process builds the hydrocarbon chains needed for SAF. Syngas can be produced from a huge range of feedstocks, such as municipal solid waste (MSW), waste bio- mass, and captured carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions (when combined with H₂). This means the FT process provides a route to produce the SAF required to meet man- dates around the world and avoids over- reliance on a single feedstock. Companies such as Johnson Matthey (JM) are leading the way in delivering syngas technology and the versatility provided by the FT route to SAF. Feedstocks for syngas production MSW can be gasified to produce syngas. This process not only provides a valuable source of syngas but also aids in waste

Diverse feedstock

Syngas

Low-carbon fuels

Various feedstocks are converted into syngas, a versatile intermediate

Syngas is then processed into dierent types of low-carbon fuels. Reducing dependence on a single resource increases sustainability and energy security

Municipal solid waste

Agricultural residues

CO CO

Buses

Heavy ships

Cars

Aviation

Forestry biomass

Renewable energy

2nd gen biofuels efuels

1st gen biofuels

Pathways to low-carbon fuels

management by reducing landfill use. JM’s proprietary technology ensures efficient cleanup and conditioning of the syngas, preparing it for subsequent FT synthesis. Forestry waste can provide another abun- dant and renewable feedstock. Gasification of forestry biomass produces syngas, which can then be processed through the FT pro- cess to yield high-quality synthetic fuels. This approach supports responsible forest management that reduces the risk of wild- fires by utilising waste materials.² Utilising captured CO₂ in combination with green hydrogen, produced via electrol- ysis using renewable energy, can provide a viable route to syngas. JM HyCOgen™ (reverse water gas shift) technology facil- itates this, helping to reuse CO₂ emis- sions and contributing to climate change mitigation. Agricultural residues, such as corn stover, wheat straw, and rice husks, are another significant source of biomass that can be converted into syngas. Using them as feed- stocks for SAF can create value from waste materials. MSW, forestry, and agricultural resi- dues are all eligible SAF feedstocks under CORSIA with qualifying default life cycle emissions below the fossil jet fuel bench- mark (89 gCO₂e/MJ).³ Technical Overview: Converting Diverse Feedstocks into SAF The FT process is a key technology for con- verting syngas into liquid hydrocarbons, which can then be refined and blended into various fuels, including diesel, kerosene, and SAF. The FT process requires several crucial steps:  Syngas production: Syngas, a mixture of CO and H₂, is produced from various feedstocks such as MSW, biomass, or CO₂ and H₂. This syngas is then fed into the FT reactor. v Catalysis: Inside the FT reactor, the syngas contacts a catalyst, typically iron or cobalt-based. The choice of catalyst depends on the desired product slate and the type of feedstock used. w Chemical reactions: Under tempera- ture (200-350°C) and pressure (10-40 bar), the catalyst facilitates the chemical

DiD you know? The FT CANS™ technology developed by JM and bp represents a significant

advancement in Fischer-Tropsch technology

reactions that convert syngas into longer- chain hydrocarbons. The primary reaction typically includes the formation of paraffins following the general reaction formula:

(2n + 1)H₂+nCO → C n H( 2n + 2 ) + nH₂O

x Product formation : These hydrocar- bons are typically primarily straight-chain alkanes, which can be further processed into different types of fuels through hydroc- racking and other refining processes. y Product upgrading : The FT process can produce waxes and lighter hydrocarbons that need upgrading to meet fuel speci- fications. Hydrocracking, isomerisation, and distillation are common upgrading pro- cesses that convert FT products into high- quality diesel, naphtha, and kerosene. FT CANS, a Step-Change Improvement in FT Technology The FT CANS™ technology developed by JM and bp represents a significant advance- ment in FT technology. This reactor design offers several technical benefits that enhance the efficiency and scalability of the FT process. The FT CANS technology utilises a modu- lar reactor design that significantly reduces the amount of catalyst required. This reduc- tion leads to lower capital costs by approx- imately 50% versus traditional fixed-bed FT, and lower operational expenses, making the process more economically viable for

Evolving Policy and Regulatory Support The success of feedstock diversification