French global chemical process technology provider Axens, an IFP Group company, has announced a commercial collaboration with XCF Global, Inc., a US-based producer of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), aimed at supporting the market deployment of "Vegan", Axens’ proprietary Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) technology.
According to a statement, this commercial collaboration is designed to facilitate discussions with project developers and plant owners interested in developing renewable fuels facilities, particularly in the fast‐growing SAF market.
Under this framework, Axens will continue to license its Vegan process worldwide directly to customers, while XCF Global may independently offer project development, construction, and operational services, drawing on its experience in developing and operating a commercial Vegan unit in the United States.
The commercial collaboration agreement has an initial term of three years and is
intended to support the scalable development of sustainable fuels capacity in North America and internationally.
This collaboration reflects the complementary strengths of both organizations. The technology collaboration established through this agreement is designed to allow XCF to pair its proprietary modular refinery design and execution model with Axens’ world-class Vegan process. By deploying a standardized, repeatable refinery blueprint through a licensing-based framework, we believe this collaboration can support the scalable expansion of sustainable aviation fuel production in the United States and around the world, said Chris Cooper, CEO of XCF Global.
Vegan process is a well-recognised technology
The Vegan process is Axens’ HEFA-based technology for the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel (RD) from a wide range of renewable feedstocks. Axens is a recognized market leader in SAF production through the HEFA pathway, with extensive experience supporting projects from early development through to commercial operation.
As the market continues to accelerate toward low‐carbon aviation fuels, this commercial collaboration creates additional opportunities to engage with project developers seeking robust, proven SAF technologies. Axens remains fully independent in the licensing of the Vegan process, and this collaboration allows us to leverage complementary market experience while continuing to serve customers directly, commented Tina Craft, CEO of Axens North America.
