Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is moving from demonstration to early commercial scale. Globally, the Technology licensors have developed technologies across 6 major pathways, which form part of the ASTM pathways, viz. HEFA (Hydro processed Esters Fatty Acids), FT (Fischer Tropsch), Co-processing, ATJ (Alcohol to Jet), and CHJ (Catalytic Hydrothermolysis Jet), MTJ (Methanol to Jet)*. The SAF production pathways differ in how they relate to inputs, feedstock synergistic pathways are optimised for specific inputs (e.g., HEFA, CHJ/HTL); feedstock agnostic pathways can accept a wide range of carbon sources at the syngas or synthesis stage (e.g., FT, PTL/eSAF), though economics depend on energy and hydrogen costs; feedstock flexible routes (e.g., ATJ, MTJ) can use multiple feedstocks with varying preprocessing requirements; and feedstock integrated approaches (Co processing) leverage refinery streams but are constrained by blend limits and feedstock availability.

The SAF Technology licensors landscape is dominated by the Western companies offering technologies across all the pathways, primarily due to strong policy tailwind and headstart. Whereas the Asian technology licensors are gradually picking up through strategic partnerships and government mandates.

• Technology Licensors Presence

• 50+ Western technology licensors are active in SAF Technology landscape majorly from Europe and North America. Landscape also includes major petrochemical giants integrating proprietary technologies in their refining processes like Neste, Shell, Eni, ExxonMobil, Chevron, etc.
  • Europe hosts 20+ Tech. licensors with established companies like Topsoe, Neste, Axens, Johnson Matthey, Nextchem, CAC Engineering, KHIMOD and innovators like Sulzer Chemtech, Green Fuels, Spark e-Fuels, ClimaHtech Green Flight, Velocys, Zaffra etc.
  • North America has 30+ Tech. licensors active including Honeywell UOP, LanzaJet, Shell Catalysts & Technologies, Chevron Lummus Group (CLG), ExxonMobil, Forge Hydrocarbon, Gevo, Lummus Technologies, KBR, Dimensional Energy, Emerging Fuels Technology (EFT), Lydian etc. These firms are asset light IP owners or EPC partners with exclusive licensing rights and are positioned to monetize global roll-outs through licensing and engineering contracts.
  • Asian refinery integrators and Tech. licensors include State backed refiners (Gazprom Neft, CEEC), industrial groups (Sinopec, SK Innovation, EcoCeres, Haixin, Junheng Industry Group Biotechnology) and dedicated R&D institutions like CSIR, and IHI, are leading technology developments. The SAF technology developments can be highlighted with partnerships forming for providing integrated options like TOYO-Velocys, CSIR-GPS, IHI-ASTARISCE, emphasising pilot demonstrations and testing.
  • From rest of the world Tech. licensors like Sasol, and Licella are shaping the SAF landscape.

  

  • The report further analyses the Landscape by Technology Readiness Level (Pilot, Demonstration and Commercial) across all the 6 Pathways.
• Hydro-processed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA)
  20+ Tech. licensors across Europe, North America and Asia active with HEFA Tech. licensing portfolio. Majority licensors are from Asian region, specifically from China, followed by North America and Europe. The commercial tech. licensors active in this space include Sinopec, Haixin, Topsoe, Neste, Axens, Nextchem, Sulzer, Honeywell UOP, Chevron Lummus Group (CLG), EcoCeres. Additionally, few companies such as IHI, CSIR, Green Fuels, and Forge Hydrocarbon are currently conducting R&D on HEFA.
• Alcohol To Jet (ATJ)
  There are 11+ Tech. licensors active with North America emerging as a leader in this segment followed by Europe and Asia. Major commercial tech. licensors active in the ATJ space are LanzaJet, Honeywell UOP, Vertimass, KBR, BYOG Renewables, Lummus Technologies, Axens, and Colabit. Asia has the potential to be a leader in the ATJ production pathway and is exploring technologies with India’s State-owned R&D institution CSIR developing the technology in collaboration with GPS Renewables, progressing through the pilot phase.
• Fischer-Tropsch (FT)
  • There are 30+ Tech. licensors actively innovating the process, with the majority from Europe and North America, followed by Asia and Africa. The major commercial tech. licensors active in the space are Topsoe, Sasol, Honeywell UOP, Axens, Tsing Energy Development Company, Dimensional Energy, Emerging Fuels Technology, KHIMOD, Lydian, Johnson Matthey, and Velocys.
  • The FT pathway has seen some major innovators introducing commercial eSAF technologies like Infinium Energy, Ineratec, Zero Petroleum, Air Company, ClimaHtech Green Flight, Synzyn Plasmonics, Zaffra, etc.
  • More than 10 tech. licensors are progressing through Pilot and Demonstration phases of the technologies like OXCCU, Aether Fuels, Lanzhe Energy, Spark e-Fuels, Green Lizard, Raven SR, and Sora Fuels.
• Catalytic Hydrothermolysis jet fuel (CHJ)
  6+ tech. licensors are working in this segment with independent licensing and collaborations in the segment. Majority licensors are from North America, followed by Europe and Oceania. Chevron Lummus Group (CLG), Licella, Steeper Energy, Firefly, Alder Renewables, and Genifuel are the commercial and Demonstration Technology licensors involved in CHJ technology.
• Methanol to Jet (MTJ)
  There are more than 10 Tech. licensors working in this segment, with the majority going through the demonstration phases. North America is leading, followed by Europe and Asia. Topsoe, Honeywell UOP, Honeywell UOP- Johnson Matthey (Integrated Suite of Technology), Vertimass, CAC Engineering, Metafuels, CEEC, and ExxonMobil are actively progressing the technology and vouching for fast-track certification.
• Co-Processing
  The pathway is most preferred by the traditional crude refineries by incorporating modifications in the existing infrastructure. The refineries can co-process biogenic feedstock to SAF. Majority Tech. licencing offering are from North America, followed by Europe and Asia. Neste, Topsoe, Honeywell UOP, Axens, Shell Catalysts & Technologies, Chevron Lummus Group (CLG), ExxonMobil and SK Innovation are few of the commercial technology licensors in the Co-processing technology.
• Others
  Various Conversion pathways and Technologies like synthesized aromatic kerosene, Integrated hydroprolysis and hydroconversion, Single Reactor HEFA, SCOOP technology, Bioforming S2A, REACH, Cyclo SAF technoligies are under ASTM evaluation and demonstration stages which are being led by Virent, Shell Catalysts & Technologies, CSIR, Neste, Johnson Matthey, Mercurius Biorefining, and Clean joule respectively.
Above assessment is part of VNZ Insights’ report title “VNZ SAF Technology Licensors Landscape and Leaderboard” presents assessment of 60+ SAF tech. Licensors active in the market. The landscape assessment is segmented based on Geography (Western, Asian), SAF technology (HEFA, ATJ, MTJ, FT, CHJ, Others), Tech. maturity (Commercial, Demo, Concept), Business Model (Tech. licensing, co-investor, etc.). The report further provides insights on Leaderboard of technology OEMs, Technology Portfolio and trends towards 2030, Key industry trends towards 2030.

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