TotalEnergies plans to expand sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production to 1.5 million tons per year by 2030, representing about 10% of the global market by that time, the firm said in a statement on Monday.
The company has also set the goal of producing half a million tons of SAF by 2028, enough to cover the gradual increase in the European SAF blending mandate.
To achieve this goal, TotalEnergies is investing €400 million in the Grandpuits refinery project to convert the site into a zero-crude platform, primarily focused on producing SAF from circular feedstock such as animal fat and used cooking oil.
Grandpuits will be able to produce 210,000 tons per year of SAF as of 2025, and a new investment has been announced to produce a further 75,000 tons per year by 2027.
TotalEnergies also started coprocessing SAF from used cooking oil at its Gonfreville refinery. The company plans to increase annual production at the site to 40,000 tons by 2025.
In addition, the company will produce an additional 150,000 tons per year of SAF by coprocessing hydrotreated vegetable oil as soon as this production method is approved by ASTM International, an organization that drafts and produces technical standards for materials, products, systems and services.
TotalEnergies further invested €340 million to convert its refinery into a biorefinery. Biodiesel produced at La Mede, near Marseille, is already being used to make SAF at the TotalEnergies Oudalle plant near Le Havre. TotalEnergies is pursuing a new investment to fully process waste from the circular economy using cooking oil and animal fat.
Patrick Pouyanne, chairman and chief executive officer of TotalEnergies, highlighted the strong demand from the aviation industry to reduce its carbon footprint.
'Sustainable aviation fuel is essential to reducing the carbon dioxide emissions of air transport, and its development is fully aligned with the company’s climate ambition to get to net zero by 2059, together with society,' Pouyanne was quoted as saying in the statement.
By Duygu Alhan
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr