Honeywell on Oct. 28 announced that JGC Holdings Corp. and Cosmo Oil Co. will use Honeywell Ecofining technology for the first commercial scale sustainable aviation fuel project in Japan.  The project will convert used cooking oil locally collected in Japan into renewable jet fuel meeting ASTM D7566 standards with start-up scheduled in 2025. 

Honeywell pioneered the production of sustainable aviation fuel with its UOP Ecofining process, which has been used to produce SAF commercially since 2016. The Ecofining process is a capital efficient solution ideal for producing renewable jet fuel from sustainable feedstocks. For example, renewable jet fuel produced from the Ecofining process using used cooking oil as feed can deliver 60 percent to 80 percent lifecycle reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared with aviation fuel from petroleum.

“By using the well-established and reliable Honeywell UOP Ecofining technology, we can supply sustainable aviation fuel commercially and contribute to the reduction of GHG in the aviation industry,” said Masahiro Aika, senior executive officer, technology commercialization officer, of JGC Holdings Corp.

“This project is a new challenge for Cosmo Oil, which produces petroleum products derived from crude oil,” said Taisuke Matsuoka, director and executive officer, of Cosmo Oil. “We need to work on decarbonization of fuels through a multiple approach to contribute to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 set by Japanese government. Introducing SAF production on a commercial scale is the first step.”

The UOP Ecofining process remains the only commercially demonstrated process for the current 100 percent production of SAF in the world. Honeywell Green Jet Fuel produced by this process is blended seamlessly with petroleum-based jet fuel at commercial scale. When used in up to a 50 percent blend with petroleum-based jet fuel, Honeywell Green Jet Fuel requires no changes to aircraft technology and meets all critical specifications for flight.

“Production of sustainable aviation fuels is a key component for decarbonization of the transport sector,” said Ben Owens, vice president and general manager, Honeywell Sustainable Technology Solutions. “The UOP Ecofining process has proven to be suitable for many types of sustainable feeds including used cooking oil.  We look forward to working with JGC and Cosmo Oil on expanding the first commercial scale production of sustainable aviation fuel in Japan.”

The UOP Ecofining process, developed in conjunction with Eni SpA, converts non-edible natural oils, animal fats and other waste feedstocks to Honeywell Green Diesel^™ and Honeywell Green Jet Fuel^™, which is chemically identical to petroleum-based counterparts. Both products offer improved performance over commercial petroleum-based diesel and jet fuels, and can be used as a drop-in replacement in vehicles and aircraft with no equipment modifications.

The Ecofining technology is used in most 100 percent-biofeed units producing renewable diesel and all the licensed renewable jet fuel production in the world today. UOP currently has licensed 24 Ecofining units in eleven countries around the world, processing 12 different types of renewable feedstocks.

Based in Kanagawa, Japan, JGC Holdings Corporation aims to implement an environmentally friendly society through the commercialization of a variety of activities including the construction of LNG (liquefied natural gas) plants with low environmental burden, biomass power generation, photovoltaic power plants and other forms of sustainable energy. In addition, JGC Japan Corp., which operates the domestic EPC business of the JGC Group, possesses extensive experience in building many plants and facilities in the energy, general industrial and other fields in Japan.