Uniper, Sasol ecoFT apply for funding to develop SkyFuelH2 eSAF project

Uniper and Sasol ecoFT have jointly applied for funding from the Swedish Energy Agency for the next phase of development of the SkyFuelH2 project, a first-of-its-kind plant for the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in Långsele, Sollefteå, Sweden, and to the EU Innovation Fund for overall project funding.

The final decision on the award is likely to be received during the next study phase.

In SkyFuelH2, biomass and renewable hydrogen feedstock will be combined using Sasol’s proprietary Fischer-Tropsch technology to produce SAF on an industrial scale, which will be a global first.

The biomass comes from processed forestry residues.

The hydrogen will come from an electrolysis unit that uses locally available renewable electricity.

Both ensure a fully sustainable value chain and a product in accordance with Europe’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED II/III).

The partners will continue further development work, with the support of the Sollefteå municipality.

The ambition is to begin construction of the SkyFuelH2 facility in 2025, subject to achieving a final investment decision, and potentially supplying the aviation industry with SAF as early as 2028.

“At Uniper, we are striving to be pioneers in the fossil-free transition of our industry and of society,” said Holger Kreetz, chief operating officer at Uniper. “There is significant demand for fossil-free fuels in the aviation sector, a key element on the pathway to reaching the globally agreed-upon climate targets. Using green hydrogen to produce liquid fuels is a key pathway to climate neutrality, and SkyFuelH2 continues to be a prioritized project for Uniper. The decision to proceed with the next step in the development of SkyFuelH2 emphasizes this. We are now looking forward to taking the next steps together with Sasol ecoFT, Sollefteå municipality and our stakeholders.”

Fleetwood Grobler, president and CEO of Sasol, added, “We at Sasol continue to innovate for a better world with our proven Fischer-Tropsch technology aimed at applying green hydrogen and sustainable carbon sources as feedstock in our proprietary power-to-liquids process. SkyFuelH2 supports the pioneering efforts of key stakeholders within Sweden to leverage its endowment of biomass residues and hydropower to produce sustainable fuels in support of decarbonization strategies of the aviation industry, and we support further development of the opportunity.”