Honeywell introduces ETJ fuel to cut emissions by 80%

The tech company Honeywell recently announced a new, innovative ethanol-to-jet (ETJ) fuel processing technology that allows ethanol producers to convert corn-based, cellulosic, or sugar-based ethanol into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

According to Honeywell, depending on the type of ethanol feedstock used, jet fuel produced from their ETJ fuel process can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80% on a total lifecycle basis, compared to petroleum-based jet fuel.

The new technology uses high-performance catalysts and heat management capabilities to maximize production efficiency, resulting in a cost-effective, lower carbon intensity aviation fuel.

Last year, the Biden Administration announced its SAF Grand Challenge for the U.S. aviation fuel supply sector to produce at least three billion gallons of SAF per year by 2030 — and reduce emissions from aviation by 20%.

The eventual goal of the challenge is to meet 100% of U.S. aviation fuel demand with SAF by 2050.

A 2021 life-cycle analysis by the U.S. Department of Energy found that ETJ fuel conversion — combined with other technologies such as carbon capture and sequestration and certain farming practices — can result in negative GHG emissions compared to petroleum-based jet fuel.

Honeywell said the technology can be modularized off-site, enabling lower installed costs and faster, less labor-intensive installation compared to job site construction for SAF plants.

By utilizing the company’s ETJ fuel technology and an integrated, modular construction approach, producers can build new SAF capacity more than a year faster than is possible with traditional construction approaches.