Biomass Derived 2G Sugars to Lipids for SAF

Biomass-derived 2G sugars can be converted to lipids, which can bolster the HEFA feedstock reservoir for SAF production. This conversion process is known as lipid synthesis, and it involves the conversion of 2G sugars into fatty acids, which can then be used to produce biodiesel. This process can help to increase the availability of HEFA feedstocks, which are necessary for the production of SAF.

Currently, seven SAF “pathways” or fuel categories have been approved under the ASTM D7566 standard. All of the neat SAF volumes have to be blended with conventional aviation turbine fuel before they can be certified as ASTM D1655 equivalent and subsequently used in an aircraft. The seven approved pathways are:

• • Fischer-Tropsch (FT) hydro-processed synthesized paraffinic kerosene (SPK) fuel using solid biomass resources (e.g., wood residues) (FT-SPK); maximum blend level 50%
  • Synthesized paraffinic kerosene from hydro-processed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) fuel derived from used cooking oil, animal fats, algae, and vegetable oils (e.g., camelina) (HEFA-SPK); maximum blend level 50%
  • Synthesized isoparaffin fuel from hydro-processed fermented sugars (SIP), formerly known as direct-sugar-to-hydrocarbon fuel (HFS-SIP); maximum blend level 10%
  • FT-SPK with aromatics fuel using solid biomass resources (e.g., wood residues) (FT-SPK/A); maximum blend level 50%
  • Alcohol-to-jet SPK fuel produced from isobutanol or ethanol (ATJ-SPK); maximum blend level 50%
  • Catalytic hydro thermolysis (or hydrothermal liquefaction) jet fuel derived from fats, oils, and greases (CHJ); maximum blend level 50%.
  • HEFA with hydrocarbons (HC-HEFA) produced from esters and fatty acids at 10% maximum blend concentration.

In contrast to the 2021 US ethanol production volume of approximately 15 billion gallons, fuels produced from fats, oils, and greases totaled approximately 2.5-billion gallons. Underscoring the disparity of available feedstocks for this segment, which stands to be buoyed by biomass-derived 2G sugar to lipid conversion.

Renewable hydrocarbon biofuels (also called green or drop-in biofuels) are fuels produced from biomass sources through a variety of biological, thermal, and chemical processes. These products are chemically identical to petroleum gasoline, diesel, or jet fuel. Since they meet the same ASTM fuel quality standards as the petroleum fuels they replace, these biofuels can be used in existing engines and infrastructure.

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