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华尔街日报Catalysis for SAF production
As the aviation industry accelerates its push toward net-zero, the role of advanced catalysis in enabling sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production is becoming increasingly critical.
Ketjen, a global leader in refinery catalyst solutions, is committed to help its customers in this transformation.
Ketjen’s ReNewFine catalysts have been applied in the production of renewable fuels for decades.
These catalyst solutions enable the conversion of waste oils and fats into renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel.
The company has partnered with Neste, a pioneer in SAF production that depends on catalysts especially as they gradually tailor their output to produce more of the green fuel.
Neste’s current production capacity of 1.5 MT/y accounts for a significant percentage of global SAF production.
“With the supply agreements Neste has with major airlines and airports, there’s a good chance the SAF used on your next flight has been produced using Ketjen’s catalysts,” explained Bob Leliveld, chief technology officer at Ketjen.
Meeting the challenges of HEFA feedstocks
The Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) pathway remains the most commercially mature route to SAF. However, as Leliveld pointed out, the feedstocks have evolved significantly.
Over the years, the industry has shifted from using virgin vegetable oils to waste oils and fats such as used cooking oil and animal fats and residue streams like tall oils.
These new feedstocks contain impurities like phosphor and metals that can destabilise the catalyst bed.
As a long-time catalyst supplier in the field, Ketjen has gone through this learning curve and developed dedicated catalysts to capture these impurities, preventing disruptions to the process.
From renewable diesel to aviation fuel
Another key development has been the pivot from renewable diesel to SAF. Producing jet fuel requires lowering the boiling point of the HEFA product to meet stringent aviation specifications, a delicate process that risks yield losses if not carefully managed.
“We’ve learned that this boiling point shift can be achieved via deep isomerisation and selective cracking,” Leliveld explained. “Our ReNewFine catalyst technology allows operators to produce SAF in dedicated runs at near-complete conversion, while also offering the flexibility to switch between renewable diesel and SAF production within a catalyst cycle.”
Technology-agnostic solutions
Ketjen emphasises its independence as a catalyst supplier, working across different HEFA technologies.
With decades of experience in the refinery industry, the company has the know-how and capability to adjust its catalyst solutions to any specific process design and provide the technical support required for robust operation.
Especially for HEFA-units, Ketjen has developed molecular-based models that forecast catalyst performance under varying process conditions.
These application models are based on a wealth of commercial production data and pilot plant testing. By tracking isomerisation and cracking behaviour at the molecular level, the company can predict product properties in detail and continuously improve our catalyst offering.
Beyond HEFA: new pathways to SAF
While HEFA remains central today, Ketjen is already preparing for the next generation of SAF technologies.
“We realise that additional technologies beyond the HEFA route are required to meet future SAF demand,” Leliveld noted. “That’s why we’ve developed a complete portfolio of catalysts for alcohol-to-jet production. Our expertise in zeolites and hydrogenation catalysis give us the perfect basis for this development. In the end, alcohol-to-jet is about making and breaking molecules, something Ketjen’s catalysts have been doing for fifty years.”
The company is also collaborating with commercial and academic partners to explore the upgrading of biogenic waste streams from households, agriculture and forestry into fungible fuels.
After conversion into biocrudes a lot of upgrading is required to produce a clean fuel that meets all of the required specifications.
Catalysis as a cornerstone of SAF production
With its ReNewFine catalyst portfolio for HEFA-production and expanding work in emerging SAF pathways, Ketjen is positioning itself as a critical enabler of the aviation industry’s decarbonisation journey.
By combining decades of refinery expertise with cutting-edge molecular modelling, the company is helping SAF-producers navigate the complexities of feedstock variability, process flexibility, and future fuel innovation.
As Leliveld summed up: “At Ketjen, we see catalysis not just as a technology, but as a cornerstone of the energy transition. Our role is to make sure that every molecule counts.”
For more information: ketjen.com