Industrial giants Sasol and Topsoe have penned an agreement to form a 50/50 joint venture (JV) aimed at producing sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs).
The fuels will be derived from green hydrogen and sustainable carbon dioxide (CO2) sources, signifying a notable shift towards decarbonizing the aviation sector.
Subject to approval from relevant authorities, the Sasol Topsoe JV will design, construct, own, and operate SAF plants. These facilities will primarily utilize non-fossil feedstocks, such as green hydrogen, sustainable CO2, or biomass. This groundbreaking collaboration represents an innovative approach toward the production of SAFs, promising to deliver “futureproof solutions” to the market.
The proposed SAF plants will incorporate Sasol’s Fischer Tropsch process and Topsoe’s related technologies. The Fischer-Tropsch process is a series of chemical reactions that convert a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons. By combining this with Topsoe’s technologies, the JV intends to set a new industry standard for SAF production.
The announcement comes in the wake of the European Parliament and Council’s agreement in April 2023 on the ReFuelEU Aviation proposal. This legislation mandates fuel suppliers to blend conventional kerosene with SAFs, a move aiming to substantially reduce aviation emissions.
Topsoe took a definitive step towards green energy in August 2022, when it approved the investment for constructing a 500MW solid oxide electrolyzer plant in Herring, Denmark. This facility, which could potentially scale up to 5GW, further underscores Topsoe’s commitment to green hydrogen production.
“Sasol is delighted to join forces with Topsoe, furthering our global sustainable aviation fuel aspiration,” expressed Fleetwood Grobler, President and CEO of Sasol. This venture aligns with Sasol’s long-term strategy to become net-zero by 2050 and marks a significant milestone in their transformational journey focusing on decarbonization.
Echoing Grobler’s sentiments, Roeland Baan, CEO of Topsoe, emphasized the shared commitment to accelerate SAFs as a crucial step towards fostering more sustainable ways of flying. He concluded, “We believe no one is better placed than the company formed by Sasol and Topsoe to deliver the means to scale SAF production.”
