Aviation is a major contributor to global climate change, accounting for approximately 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions and roughly 5% of total anthropogenic warming when non-CO₂ effects are included. Without intervention, aviation emissions are projected to double by 2050, yet Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) currently represents only 0.2% of global jet fuel consumption. This project addresses the urgent need to scale up SAF production by designing and evaluating a commercially viable bio-ethanol-to-jet (ETJ) fuel process. The aviation industry, airlines, passengers, and the broader global community concerned with climate change are all directly affected, as are agricultural and biofuel producers who stand to benefit from an expanded market for bio-ethanol feedstocks. By demonstrating a technically sound and economically feasible pathway to produce low-carbon jet fuel, this project contributes to the decarbonization of one of the hardest-to-abate sectors in the global economy.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Production from Bio-Ethanol: Process Design and Techno-Economic Feasibility Assessment
Summary
Technical Approach/Methodology
The project employs the Ethanol-to-Jet (ETJ) pathway, which chemically converts bio-ethanol into fuel-range hydrocarbons through a sequence of four key reactor stages: dehydration, two-stage oligomerization, and hydrogenation. In the dehydration unit, bio-ethanol is converted to ethylene over a silicoaluminate (HZSM-5) catalyst at 400°C; ethylene is then oligomerized into larger hydrocarbon chains (C₂-C₆, then C₈-C₂₄) using nickel- and zeolite-based catalysts, and finally hydrogenated into stable saturated paraffins over a Pt/Al₂O₃ or Raney Nickel catalyst. Process simulation was performed using Aspen Plus, and a heat integration analysis was conducted using Aspen Energy Analyzer to minimize utility consumption and maximize energy recovery across the plant. A techno-economic analysis was also performed to evaluate the business case, including capital costs, operating costs, and revenue projections, making the findings accessible to both technical and non-technical stakeholders such as investors and policymakers.
Outcomes
The project successfully produced a complete process design for an ETJ plant capable of converting 633.3 MT/day of bio-ethanol into approximately 100,000 MT/year of fuel products. The primary deliverable is jet fuel (C₈-C₁₂) at 274.0 MT/day, representing approximately 83% of total liquid hydrocarbon output, with co-produced diesel (C₁₄-C₂₄) at 56.2 MT/day making up the remaining 17%. The heat integration analysis demonstrated that the process generates sufficient excess heat to preheat all feed streams, eliminating the need for external heating utilities. The techno-economic assessment revealed total annual revenues of $143.12 MM against total operating costs of approximately $144.3 MM, yielding a positive gross profit of approximately $1.2 MM/year and confirming the economic viability of the plant under base-case assumptions. Additional deliverables include a detailed safety hazard analysis covering OSHA PSM, EPA RMP, and NFPA compliance frameworks, as well as an environmental impact assessment highlighting the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions benefits of SAF relative to conventional petroleum-based jet fuel.