Technip Energies signs first catalyst supply agreement for biorefinery
Technip Energies signed its first catalyst supply agreement with LanzaJet Inc. (LanzaJet), a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) producer, for its proprietary Hummingbird® ethanol-to-ethylene catalyst. LanzaJet’s SAF delivers more than 70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on a lifecycle basis, compared to conventional fossil jet fuel. The catalyst will be used in LanzaJet’s first commercial demonstration scale integrated biorefinery at its Freedom Pines Fuels site in Soperton, Georgia, USA. Technip Energies was awarded its first commercial License for the Hummingbird® Ethanol-to-Ethylene technology by LanzaTech in 2019, founder and investor in LanzaJet.
Hummingbird® is a second generation, low-cost process for dehydrating ethanol to produce ethylene. It gives ethylene derivative producers an option to produce ‘niche’ renewable products from sustainable bioethanol sources. A key feature of Hummingbird® is its proprietary catalyst operating at a lower temperature, higher pressure and producing a polymer grade ethylene with over 99 percent selectivity.
Stan Knez, Senior Vice President of Technip Energies Process Technology, stated: “We are very excited about licensing this technology and the first sale of the proprietary catalyst for LanzaJet’s biorefinery which was brought to realization through our R&D technology licensing teams. Hummingbird® is just one of the many sustainable chemistry technologies that we have to offer as a part of our energy transition business.”
Jimmy Samartzis, LanzaJet CEO, said, “Decarbonizing the aviation sector is an imperative and demand for sustainable aviation fuel is growing significantly. The use of the Hummingbird® ethanol-to-ethylene catalyst will allow LanzaJet to scale and grow strategically to meet the aviation industry’s need for sustainable fuel. In fact, it will help us double production and usage of SAF in the United States, starting in 2022, and help the aviation industry reduce emissions and its reliance on fossil fuels used to power its planes.”
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