Lummus Technology selected for major ethanol-to-jet SAF project in India

Lummus Technology announced April 30 that GPS Renewables has selected its ethanol-to-jet (ETJ) technology for National Thermal Power Corp.’s project at Pudimadaka, Andhra Pradesh, India.

This is the first commercial license of Lummus’ integrated ETJ technology, which the company said offers a proven, reliable solution to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) while minimizing capital costs, operating costs and carbon emissions.

Once complete, the plant will be India’s first capable of producing SAF using ethanol derived from flue gas.

“This project represents a major milestone for Lummus, bringing our ethanol‑to‑jet technology from concept to commercial reality,” said Romain Lemoine, Lummus Technology’s chief business officer. “By leveraging our integrated solution, GPS will deliver a scalable SAF configuration with reduced capital and operating costs and lower carbon intensity. India’s strong ethanol ecosystem provides an ideal launch environment and supports future global deployment.”

India’s growing aviation sector and strong policy support are accelerating demand for new and innovative SAF technologies.

SAF produced from ethanol is emerging as a critical pathway to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions while leveraging India’s mature ethanol ecosystem, abundant availability of ethanol and backing from the country’s ethanol-blending program.

“SAF stands out as the most promising option for reducing emissions in a hard-to-abate sector like aviation,” said Mainak Chakraborty, the co-founder and CEO of GPS Renewables. “However, viable commercial-scale production of SAF is still limited. At GPS Renewables, we have always prioritized technologies that can accelerate India’s transition to clean energy. Our collaboration with Lummus Technology reflects that commitment. Through this partnership, our aim is to bring a proven pathway to produce SAF from ethanol and enable the large-scale production of SAF in India.”

A key part of the SAF production process is Lummus and Braskem’s technology partnership for producing green ethylene, which accelerates the use of bioethanol.

Since 2010, Braskem has operated an ethanol dehydration unit in Brazil.

Using EtE EverGreen™ technology, the unit provides a proven and reliable foundation for producing ethylene from ethanol.

Lummus has integrated this world-scale dehydration process with its light olefins oligomerization and advanced hydroprocessing technologies.

Lummus’ scope includes the technology license, basic-engineering package, proprietary catalyst and technical-support services to enable successful project execution and start-up.