Honeywell (NASDAQ: HON) has begun using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to test its aircraft Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) and engines at its Phoenix facility, the company announced.
According to Honeywell, SAF can be combined with conventional jet fuel to power aircraft in blends of up to 50 percent with petroleum-based jet fuel without requiring changes to engine or aircraft fuel systems or fuel infrastructure. Honeywell also has plans to test other SAF blends and run engines and APUs on 100 percent SAF in the future.
Developed by World Energy, LLC in California using Honeywell’s UOP Ecofining technology and distributed by World Fuel Services, the SAF is produced by converting readily available renewable materials, such as hydrotreated esters and fatty acids (HEFA).
Throughout the industry, there has been a movement toward the adoption of SAF in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of aviation.
Late last year, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimated that total SAF production tripled in 2022, reaching at least 300 million liters, or about 79.3 million gallons.
IATA, which has established a goal of net zero CO2 emissions by 2050, said that more than 450,000 commercial flights had used SAF by the end of last year and that an increasing number of airlines had signed agreements with fuel producers to use the fuel, suggesting demand will continue to grow, IATA said in its report.
Honeywell seems to concur.
“At Honeywell, we see SAF as a logical path to decarbonize the aviation industry and we consider our facilities as laboratories for sustainable innovation,” said Dave Marinick, president of Engines and Power Systems, Honeywell Aerospace. “Running our engines and APUs on SAF is a further demonstration of our commitment to our customers to do our part to reduce our carbon footprint.”
Honeywell said it is committed to achieving carbon neutrality in its operations and facilities by 2035.
