The Netherlands-headed power-to-X project developer Power2X Services B.V. (Power2X) has announced a strategic collaboration with US-headed Honeywell International Inc. (Honeywell), a leading international supplier and licensor of process technology, catalysts, adsorbents, equipment, and consulting services to the petroleum refining, petrochemical, and gas processing industries, to implement Honeywell UOP’s "eFining" methanol-to-jet (MtJ) processing technology in Power2X’s eFuels Rotterdam project – a large-scale production and storage hub for electro sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) and synthetic, ultra-low-carbon fuels in the Port of Rotterdam.
Electro-fuels (eFuels) are a class of synthetic fuels that can help displace a portion of fossil fuels. eFuels combine green hydrogen (i.e. hydrogen produced from electrolysis of water using renewable electricity) and (biogenic) carbon dioxide (CO2) to create eMethanol, which can then be converted into sustainable fuels like eSAF or other synthetic drop-in fuels.
The eFuels Rotterdam project underscores how technology is shaping the future of aviation and the energy transition, two megatrends that align with Honeywell’s portfolio.
Accelerating the energy transition requires developing next-generation energy assets at an industrial scale and deploying cutting-edge technology to unlock new value chains, delivering clean energy where it’s most needed. Our collaboration with Honeywell on eFuels Rotterdam marks a significant step forward in producing Sustainable Aviation Fuels in the heart of Europe, said Occo Roelofsen, CEO of Power 2X.
World-scale eFuels facility
The Power2X eFuels Rotterdam production facility will have the capacity to produce more than 250,000 tonnes per year of eSAF, a non-fossil, synthetic fuel made from green hydrogen.
Honeywell’s eFining methanol-to-jet technology will play a central role in production, enabling the conversion of methanol into eFuels with low emissions and high efficiency.
According to Honeywell, its UOP eFining technology can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 88 percent compared to conventional jet fuel.
When blended with conventional jet fuel, eSAF is a drop-in replacement fuel that requires no changes to aircraft technology or fuel infrastructure.
The world needs a greater supply of sustainable aviation fuel in order to help decarbonize the aviation sector. Honeywell’s eFining technology uses hydrogen and carbon dioxide, two abundant, low-carbon feedstocks, to produce SAF that helps airlines meet ambitious European fuel mandates, said Barry Glickman, VP and General Manager of Sustainable Technology Solutions at Honeywell.
Aligned with EU SAF mandates
Europe’s ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation has already mandated the increased use of SAF, including eSAF, from 2030 onwards.
In alignment with this mandate, Power 2X’s eFuels Rotterdam facility is a crucial player in Europe’s energy transition as it has the potential to supply 40 percent of the required eSAF volume when it enters operation around the turn of the decade.
Honeywell’s SAF technologies are licensed at over 50 sites globally, with a projected daily capacity of over 500,000 barrels of renewable fuel per day when fully operational.
Honeywell’s renewable fuels portfolio also includes its Ecofining and Ethanol-to- Jet (EtJ) technologies to help create next-generation fuels.
