Is Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production Through Hydroprocessing of Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) and Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) Technologies Feasible in Mexico?

Abstract

The production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) has gained more attention in recent years due to the initiative to implement new technologies to improve the decarbonization of the energy and transport industry, especially the aviation sector, in different countries. In Mexico, the production of SAF has been promoted as a sustainable initiative to boost the agro-industrial sector, the nation’s self-sufficiency, and compliance with national and international CO2 emission reduction goals. Nowadays, there are two technologies with a high level of technological readiness ready to be implemented as a solution to produce SAF, which are hydrotreating esters and fatty acids (HEFA) and Alcohol to Jet (ATJ). These technologies use biomass as a source of feedstock and are described as possible sustainable solutions to reduce the CO2 emissions from conventional aviation fuels. This work analyses the feasibility of implementing these two technologies as a strategy to promote the use of SAF in Mexico from the biomass available in the country based on a techno-economic analysis and a life cycle assessment of each technology. Based on this study on SAF production, a return on investment of 10.2% for HEFA-SPK technology and 13.7% for ATJ-SPK technology was obtained.