Topsoe and Sasol have been selected as technology partners for SUSTAERO GP Inc.’s ambitious sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) project in Canada, marking a major step forward in scaling up low-carbon aviation fuels in North America.
The companies have signed a single-point licensing agreement with SUSTAERO to provide integrated process technologies for a planned 3,200 barrels per day (BPD) SAF facility that will convert abundant wood waste into renewable aviation fuel.
The project, developed by SUSTAERO, is expected to reach final investment decision in 2028, with commercial operations targeted for 2031. The facility also has the potential to expand to three times its initial capacity.
Under the agreement, Topsoe and Sasol will deliver their combined gas-to-liquid synfuels (G2L) technology platform, integrating Topsoe’s hydrogen production, gas reforming and hydroprocessing solutions with Sasol’s Fischer-Tropsch and treatment technologies.
The partnership comes as demand grows for commercially proven technologies that can accelerate SAF production and improve energy security through diversified fuel sources.
Yassir Ghiyati, Chief Commercial Officer at Topsoe, said: "We are proud to partner with SUSTAERO on this important project and to provide the technologies needed to help bring it to life.
"Sustainable aviation fuel will play a critical role in supporting aviation’s transition to lower-emission fuels, and projects like this demonstrate how proven technologies and strong collaboration can accelerate the commercialization of renewable fuels at scale.”
Sarushen Pillay, Executive Vice President for Business Building, Strategy and Technology at Sasol, said: "We're proud that SUSTAERO has selected Sasol for its biomass to liquids facility, and we look forward to deliver an integrated FT solution that de-risks the project, drives superior product yields and strengthens overall bankability.
"Sasol's Fischer-Tropsch technology is a proven, world-leading energy solution renowned for its reliability, scalability and performance. Through a decades-long partnership with Topsoe, this single-point technology licensing model has become a powerful, highly effective energy solution.”
Keith Gillard, CEO of SUSTAERO, said:
“We’re honoured to be working with both Topsoe and Sasol, both long-established pioneers who continue to be the vanguard of gas to liquid manufacturing.
"Our Syngas Optimization for Aviation Renewables (SOAR) architecture is augmented and de-risked by integrating their G2L technologies. With this partnership, SUSTAERO will play a leadership role in aviation’s evolution to low-carbon fuels made from secure and sustainable feedstocks.”
The project addresses the aviation sector’s urgent need for alternative fuels as the industry works toward net-zero emissions by 2050.
