Siemens, Caphenia partner to accelerate SAF scale-up
- Siemens
- 23 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Siemens announced Feb. 25 that it and cleantech company Caphenia have entered a partnership to scale the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
As preferred automation and digitalization partner, Siemens will provide digitalization and automation solutions for Caphenia’s plasma technology, which converts biomethane into synthesis gas.
The goal is a standardized concept that enables the global rollout of commercial production facilities.
Caphenia’s technology uses a plasma process to split biomethane into synthesis gas at temperatures of around 1,500 degrees Celsius.
Caphenia’s Plasma Boudouard Reactor is a globally unique three-in-one zone reactor that integrates three established chemical reactions in one system.
The resulting synthesis gas can then be further processed into SAF, renewable diesel or chemical products—without byproducts and with minimal energy losses.
A key advantage is the heat that is released when cooling the synthesis gas is used to preheat the incoming biomethane.
This results in a process efficiency of more than 86 percent, representing significantly higher energy efficiency than is possible with conventional methods.
“Decarbonizing aviation cannot be achieved without synthetic fuels,” said Christian Gückel, the head of vertical chemicals at Siemens Digital Industries. “Demand for SAF is growing exponentially, yet production capacity urgently needs to be ramped up. This is exactly where Siemens comes in—with our digitalization and automation solutions, we are making Caphenia’s technology industrially scalable and thus accelerating its global market ramp-up.”
Mark Misselhorn, founder and CEO of Caphenia, added, “This partnership shows how technology leaders are working together to drive forward the energy transition. Siemens brings the portfolio and expertise to standardize and digitalize our plants. But the real point is this. The market for sustainable aviation fuels will not grow evenly—it will fragment. Those who scale quickly, those who are industrial-ready, those who have the right partners will lead. Together, we are not only laying the foundation for the international ramp-up of our PBR technology—we want to lead it.”
Under the agreement, Siemens becomes Caphenia’s preferred supplier and technology partner, offering comprehensive solutions from its Siemens Xcelerator portfolio, including process-control systems, drive and measurement technologies, and process-simulation software.
Digital twins will make it possible to optimize operating parameters before physical commissioning and to manage processes consistently across different sites.
Siemens is supporting Caphenia from its pilot plant at industrial park Höchst in Frankfurt, Germany, through to commercial scale-up.
The goal is to develop a standardized automation and digitalization template for Caphenia’s PBR technology that is modularly scalable and can be adapted to different locations.
This is intended to accelerate the rapid rollout of new plants in the coming years and significantly reduce commissioning time.
Demand for SAF is rising rapidly, driven by regulatory requirements.
The EU Renewable Energy Directive mandates binding blending quotas, with penalties for noncompliance.
The scale of the challenge is enormous—by 2050, the global aviation industry will need around 500 million tons of SAF annually.
Currently, SAF covers less than 1 percent of global kerosene demand.
Efficient and scalable production technologies are essential to close this gap.
