Development and Optimization of a Conceptual Design for a CO₂-to-Sustainable Aviation Fuel Conversion Plant

PROJECT COST:

740 000 $

PRIMA CONTRIBUTION:

370 000 $

PROJECT DETAILS:

SAF+ Consortium Inc. aims to develop the first commercial-scale technology platform for converting CO₂ from industrial emissions into sustainable aviation fuel using renewable electricity and hydrogen. This technology has the potential to reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80% compared with conventional aviation fuel.

The process consists of two main steps: (1) catalytic conversion of CO₂ into CO through the reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction, and (2) catalytic conversion of CO and H₂ into liquid hydrocarbons through the Fischer–Tropsch process. Although these two steps have been extensively studied separately, integrating them into a commercial-scale platform remains a significant challenge.

For this project, SAF+ Consortium Inc. is partnering with the Electrification of Intensified Processes and Catalysis (EPIC) research group at Polytechnique Montréal, led by Associate Professor Daria Camilla Boffito, who will direct the project, as well as the Centre d’études des procédés chimiques du Québec (CÉPROCQ).

The objective of the project is to identify the most promising process configuration from a techno-economic perspective for the production of sustainable aviation fuel, and then validate and optimize the process at the pilot scale. The academic research will focus on process integration, as well as the design of catalysts and reactors for both process steps. The expected outcomes include an integrated process design and a new class of Fischer–Tropsch catalysts with improved selectivity toward aviation fuel production. In parallel, the project will complete the first pilot-scale demonstration of the integrated technology.

The project will ultimately enable Canadian airlines to access a local source of low-carbon aviation fuel, helping them meet regulatory requirements such as the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

In addition to promoting clean technologies and creating highly qualified jobs, this collaborative research and development effort will provide a cost-effective solution for reducing carbon emissions from major industrial emitters. The proposed approach relies on the use of renewable hydroelectricity during off-peak hours to produce sustainable aviation fuel.

For more information, please refer to Polytechnique Montréal’s press release.