Solena and Rentech to partner on synthetic fuel technology for Europe’s proposed first sustainable jet fuel facility
biomass feedstock into sustainable jet fuel, has signed a letter of intent with
fellow US company Rentech to negotiate a licensing deal to the use the latter’s
proprietary Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) synthetic fuel technology.
gallons of jet fuel and 9 million gallons of bionaphtha a year when fully operational.
Solena has identified potential sites and is currently in discussions with various
funding sources to secure the finance for the project. British Airways has committed
to a minimum 10-year offtake agreement to purchase all the jet fuel produced.
Meanwhile, the airline said it has attracted interest from 18 potential suppliers
of alternative jet fuel for an engine test programme it is planning with Rolls-Royce.
would have been destined for landfill sites into synthesis gas (BioSynGas) every
year, using Solena’s proprietary plasma gasification technology. The BioSynGas
will then be processed by Rentech’s F-T technology into jet fuel. The plant will
also export more than 20 megawatts of baseload renewable power to the grid after
supplying the entire facility with clean electricity.
Europe’s first commercial scale sustainable biojet fuel facility," said CEO Dr
Robert Do. "We welcome them to the GreenSky consortium. Rentech’s iron-based catalyst
F-T process is an ideal fit for Solena’s proprietary gasification solution.
drop-in jet fuel with the potential to transform the aviation industry."
of CO2, including 145,000 tonnes from the replacement of conventional kerosene
with its sustainable jet fuel, and claims a saving of 95% in lifecycle emissions.
to help facilitate the integration of its process into the project.
is one of the few companies whose synthetic fuel technology can provide solutions
to help reduce the financial and environmental impact of this legislation on the
airline industry," commented D. Hunt Ramsbottom, President and CEO of Rentech.
"Renewable jet fuel is one of the only options airlines have to reduce the carbon
footprint of their fleets."
has begun preparing debt financing for the $280 million facility. The company
is looking to close all financing by the end of 2011 and start construction in
2012. It is aiming to complete construction by the end of 2013 and start delivering
jet fuel to British Airways in 2014.
construction (EPC) contractor for the project and provide an update on site selection
in early 2011.
with other airlines.
and US airlines that are currently under discussion," said Dr Do recently. "These
facilities will be identical in design and capacity to the British Airways project."
Rolls-Royce to test alternative jet fuels appears to be back on track. When the
two companies sent out Request for Proposals (RFPs) for adequate supplies of potential
fuels two years ago there was little response. However, another attempt has yielded
over 18 fuel companies interested in supplying the required 60,000 litres of fuel
for testing.
BA and Solena plan to “create 1,200 London jobs” at biofuels plant
from a waste-to-biofuels plant in east London, which will burn plastics, paper
and food leftovers – which are not recycled in a better way. Two potential locations
near Dagenham have been proposed. 200 jobs might be created at the factory. BA
hopes to buy 16 million gallons of fuel for 10 years and hopes production could
start in 2014. Solena is seeking sources of finance.