Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) represents the future of aviation as the industry transitions toward greener solutions to combat climate change. At New Rise Renewables, our mission is to provide cleaner, more efficient aviation fuel that significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions. SAF, made from biomass and renewable feedstocks, is a direct substitute for conventional jet fuel but with a much smaller carbon footprint. In this blog, we will dive deep into the SAF production process, specifically focusing on the hydrotreating technology used at our facility to produce this groundbreaking fuel.

Understanding Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

Before we break down the production process, it’s essential to grasp what SAF is and why it’s such a critical development in aviation. SAF is derived from renewable sources like vegetable oils. Unlike conventional jet fuel, which is refined from crude oil, SAF reduces life-cycle carbon emissions by up to 80%. It also produces fewer pollutants like sulfur oxides and particulates, making it not just cleaner for the skies but better for human health and the environment.

The most critical point here is that SAF can be used in existing aircraft without any modifications, making it an attractive, ready-to-deploy solution for reducing aviation’s carbon footprint.

SAF Production Overview: How SAF is Made

The production of SAF involves converting renewable biomass or waste feedstocks into liquid hydrocarbons that mimic conventional jet fuel’s performance. At New Rise Renewables, our plant uses hydrotreating technology, a widely recognized method for producing SAF that offers scalability, efficiency, and high-quality results.

While other processes such as the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) method are also used to produce SAF, we’ll focus on hydrotreating, as it is the core of our operation.

What is Hydrotreating? A Look at the Key SAF Production Process

Hydrotreating is a refining process that involves the use of hydrogen to remove contaminants like sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen from the biomass feedstock. It converts organic oils and fats into hydrocarbons similar to those found in fossil fuels. Here’s a closer look at the step-by-step process involved in hydrotreating:

1. Feedstock Collection and Pre-Treatment

The first step in the SAF production process is the collection and pre-treatment of feedstocks. New Rise Renewables Reno uses exclusively non-food stock crops such as corn oil and soybean oil in its renewable process. These materials are pre-treated to remove impurities and contaminants that could reduce the effectiveness of reactor catalyst, and adversely affect the efficiency of the hydrotreating process.

2. Hydrotreating Reaction: Conversion of Feedstock to Hydrocarbons

Once the feedstock has been pre-treated, it is introduced into the hydrotreating reactors. Here, the feedstock is exposed to hydrogen gas at high pressure and temperature in the presence of a catalyst. This reaction breaks down the complex molecular structure of the fats and oils, converting them into hydrocarbons that closely resemble conventional jet fuel components.

Key reactions in this process include:

• Deoxygenation: Removing oxygen from the feedstock, producing water as a by-product.
• Desulfurization: Eliminating sulfur to reduce harmful emissions.
• Hydrogenation: Saturating carbon-carbon double bonds with hydrogen to stabilize the molecules.

The resulting product is a mix of hydrocarbons, which after further refinement, can meet the stringent specifications of aviation fuels.

3. Separation and Refining: Tailoring the Hydrocarbon Profile

After hydrotreating, the mixture of hydrocarbons undergoes a series of separation and refining steps to achieve the desired composition. The SAF produced from this process contains the same molecular structure as conventional jet fuel, but is made with a much smaller carbon footprint.

4. Blending and Certification: Ready for Takeoff

Once SAF is produced, it undergoes rigorous testing to ensure it meets regulatory and safety standards. In most cases, SAF is blended with conventional jet fuel in varying ratios. Current regulations allow up to 50% SAF to be blended with conventional fuel, ensuring it can be seamlessly used in today’s jet engines without any modifications.

After passing quality control, the SAF is ready to be delivered to airports and airlines, providing an immediate reduction in the aviation industry’s carbon footprint.

The Benefits of Hydrotreating for SAF Production

At New Rise Renewables, we believe hydrotreating is the optimal process for producing high-quality SAF. Here are some reasons why:

1. Scalability and Efficiency

Hydrotreating technology is highly scalable, making it well-suited for commercial-level SAF production. This is crucial for meeting the growing demand for sustainable fuels in the aviation industry.

2. High Product Quality

SAF produced via hydrotreating is virtually indistinguishable from conventional jet fuel in terms of performance, meaning it can be used in today’s aircraft without any modifications to jet engines. The process also enables precise control over the fuel’s properties, ensuring it meets the stringent requirements of the aviation sector.

3. Reduction of Harmful Emissions

SAF produced through hydrotreating has a significantly lower environmental impact than traditional fossil-based jet fuel. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% over the fuel’s lifecycle, contributing to a cleaner, more sustainable aviation industry.

Hydrotreating vs. Other SAF Production Processes

While hydrotreating is a proven and highly effective method for producing SAF, it’s not the only process available. Other methods, like the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process, use a gasification technique to convert biomass into synthetic fuels. However, FT requires more complex infrastructure, large amounts of power, and tends to be less flexible in terms of feedstock variety.

Hydrotreating, on the other hand, offers a more straightforward and efficient process that’s scalable for industrial production and can easily adapt to various feedstocks types.

The Future of SAF and Hydrotreating at New Rise Renewables

As the demand for sustainable aviation solutions continues to grow, the role of SAF will become even more critical in reducing the carbon footprint of the aviation industry. At New Rise Renewables, we’re committed to advancing hydrotreating technology as a premier method to produce SAF on a larger scale, making aviation greener and more sustainable.

We are continuously researching new feedstock sources, improving production efficiencies, and working with partners across the aviation industry to promote SAF adoption.