In a major push to decarbonize the aviation industry, integrated energy company Verso Energy has announced it will utilize Honeywell UOP’s eFining™ methanol-to-jet technology to produce electro-sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF). The advanced processing technology will be deployed across seven planned facilities spanning France, Finland, and the United States, positioning Verso Energy as a key player in the next generation of low-carbon fuels.
By leveraging Honeywell’s standardized design, Verso Energy aims to significantly reduce capital expenditures, accelerate its speed to market, and vastly increase the global supply of sustainable aviation fuels.
Bridging the Gap with Drop-In eFuels
Honeywell’s eFining technology operates by combining biogenic carbon dioxide, renewable electricity, and hydrogen to synthesize a range of electrofuels (eFuels), prominently including eSAF.
One of the most critical advantages of this resulting eSAF is its status as a “drop-in” replacement. It can be seamlessly blended with conventional jet fuel without requiring any modifications to existing aircraft engines or airport fueling infrastructure. Environmentally, the impact is substantial: utilizing eSAF can slash greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 88% compared to traditional fossil-based jet fuels.
Scaling Up to Meet Strict European Mandates
The demand for sustainable aviation fuel is poised to skyrocket, largely driven by regulatory frameworks like the European Union’s ReFuel EU initiative, which mandates that aviation fuel supplies must contain at least 35% eSAF by the year 2050.
To help airlines meet these rigorous regional adoption requirements, Verso Energy’s seven planned facilities are projected to produce approximately 200 million gallons of eSAF annually.
Antoine Huard, CEO of Verso Energy, emphasized the necessity of efficient scaling. “Efficient and cost-effective eSAF production will be crucial for helping airlines comply with regional adoption requirements,” Huard stated. “Honeywell’s proven SAF technology paired with our standardized design approach will enable us to quickly scale production capabilities and bring additional eSAF to the market sooner, helping to meet growing global demand.”
Overcoming Feedstock and Cost Hurdles
A historic bottleneck in renewable fuel production has been the availability of feedstock and the high premium on production costs.
Barry Glickman, Vice President of Honeywell Low Carbon Energy, highlighted how their technology addresses these exact issues. “With our eFining technology, companies like Verso Energy can use abundant carbon dioxide as feedstock, making eSAF production scalable and less carbon-intensive,” Glickman explained. He added that ongoing advancements in Honeywell’s processes are actively lowering the cost premium by optimizing plant size, utility consumption, and overall production efficiency.
Pioneering Projects: DEZiR and ReSTart
Verso Energy’s ambitious roadmap is already gaining significant institutional backing. The company recently secured EU Innovation Fund Awards to propel the development of its first two major projects: DEZiR and ReSTart.
These sites are slated to be among the first large-scale facilities in Europe dedicated entirely to eSAF production. The DEZiR project, which has also secured financial backing from the French government, is on track to begin operations and deliver early batches of eSAF by 2030.
Beyond eFining, Honeywell continues to expand its renewable fuels portfolio—which includes Ecofining™, FT Unicracking™, Biocrude Upgrading, and Ethanol-to-Jet technologies—ensuring that energy companies have versatile pathways to produce the next generation of sustainable fuels.
