Uniper and Sasol ecoFT are marching ahead in their joint venture to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using biomass and renewable hydrogen, dubbed SkyFuelH2.
The collaboration has sought funding from the Swedish Energy Agency and the EU Innovation Fund, with a decision on the award expected in the coming study phase.
Innovative Combination for a Cleaner Sky
SkyFuelH2, a novel concept in the energy sector, integrates biomass derived from processed forestry residues with renewable hydrogen feedstock. The unique process leverages Sasol’s proprietary Fischer-Tropsch technology to manufacture SAF on an industrial scale, a first of its kind worldwide.
The renewable hydrogen for this pioneering initiative will be sourced from an electrolysis unit that utilizes local renewable electricity, ensuring a fully sustainable value chain and compliance with the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II/III).
SkyFuelH2: A Future Sustainable Aviation Fuel
The project has the backing of the Sollefteå municipality and partners Uniper and Sasol ecoFT plan to continue further development. Construction of the SkyFuelH2 facility is expected to begin in 2025, pending a final investment decision (FID). The ambition is to start supplying SAF to the aviation industry as early as 2028, marking a significant step towards decarbonizing the aviation sector.
Holger Kreetz, COO at Uniper, expressed the company’s commitment to the project, stating, “At Uniper, we are striving to be pioneers in the fossil-free transition of our industry and of society.”
Sasol Limited’s President and CEO, Fleetwood Grobler, also affirmed Sasol’s dedication to the endeavor, commenting, “We at Sasol continue to innovate for a better world with our proven Fischer-Tropsch technology aimed at applying green hydrogen and sustainable carbon sources as feedstock in our proprietary Power-to-Liquids (PtL) process.”
SkyFuelH2 underscores the synergistic power of innovation, industry cooperation, and environmental stewardship to forge a sustainable path for one of the most carbon-intensive sectors: aviation. With SkyFuelH2, the future of sustainable aviation fuel looks brighter and greener than ever before.
