Pioneering SAF Pilot Demonstrates Preparedness for Full-Scale Drop-In Technology Expansion

In a significant stride towards enhancing the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and boosting the availability of feedstocks, Universal Fuel Technologies, or Unifuel for short, has wrapped up an extraordinary five-month pilot initiative. This project showcased how effective their innovative Flexiforming technology is in generating SAF that closely resembles traditional jet fuel, utilizing a variety of renewable feedstocks. Conducted at RPD Technologies’ facilities in Crosby, Texas from August to December last year, this endeavor successfully produced nearly 100 liters of SAF sample material under consistent processing conditions—an encouraging sign that scaling up is on the horizon. The focus was primarily on transforming methanol and ethanol into SAF and also converting ethanol with paraffinic renewable naphtha derived from Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) into SAF.

“As we move forward as an industry, it’s vital to keep pushing boundaries and exploring fresh technologies that can elevate SAF to perform on par with conventional jet fuel,” remarked Joshua Heyne, who heads the Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Lab (BSEL) at washington State University. “The ability to produce aromatic molecules while processing diverse feedstocks through one unified technology not only simplifies the production process but also substantially cuts down costs—making it more feasible for producers and airlines alike.”

The pilot project yielded two unique types of SAF: Synthetic aromatic kerosene (SAK), which plays a crucial role in ensuring compatibility between paraffinic SAF and fossil kerosene compositions; alongside a fully synthetic drop-in version that meets commercial requirements pending certification by ASTM International—the foremost global authority on technical standards. This means that the aromatic components generated through Flexiforming can be seamlessly blended with primary paraffinic streams from HEFA or Fischer-Tropsch units. Such integration opens doors for producing drop-in-ready SAF directly at these facilities while simplifying logistics and promoting wider industry adoption.

“The implications of this