Shell’s Biojet Bombshell: 600MGY by 2025, Much More by 2030, as SAFtember Keeps on Rollin’

September 21, 2021

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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In the Netherlands, Royal Dutch Shell said it will produce around 2 million tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel a year by 2025. That’s around 600 million gallons per year — dwarfing any other SAF production either in production or on the boards.

Shell also aims to have at least 10% of its global aviation fuel sales as SAF by 2030.

At the same time, more than 100 global aviation executives share their views in new Shell and Deloitte report calling for stronger ambition and leadership in the sector.

And Shell has prepped its vision for sustainable aviation fuel…dare we say dominance, in a companion report.

News from Rotterdam

In the Netherlands. Shell announced a final investment decision to build an 820,000-tonnes-a-year (approximately 240 million gallons) biofuels facility at the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rotterdam, the Netherlands, formerly known as the Pernis refinery.

The facility is expected to use technology to capture carbon emissions from the manufacturing process and store them in an empty gas field beneath the North Sea through the Porthos project. A final investment decision for Porthos is expected next year.

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The Rotterdam biofuels facility is expected to start production in 2024. It will produce low-carbon fuels such as renewable diesel from waste in the form of used cooking oil, waste animal fat and other industrial and agricultural residual products, using advanced technology developed by Shell.

Sustainable aviation fuel could make up more than half of the 820,000-tonnes-a-year capacity, with the rest being renewable diesel. Shell will adjust this mix to meet customer demand.

A range of certified sustainable vegetable oils, such as rapeseed, will supplement the waste feedstocks until even more sustainable advanced feedstocks are widely available. The facility will not use virgin palm oil as feedstock.

Take aways from the new reports

Aviation has often been considered a sector that will decarbonise later than others. This attitude should be replaced by a greater sense of ambition.
Choosing SAF as the primary means of decarbonisation has the advantage of avoiding the need to redesign aircraft or airport infrastructure.
More ambitious efforts are required and investments must start sooner if SAF is to be adopted at scale within 15 years.
The uptake of certified carbon offsets must significantly increase in the short term, so they can play as full a role as possible in the early stages of decarbonisation.
In parallel, there is a need to invest in less mature propulsion technologies like electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft, and for these to play a role in short-haul flights before 2050.

Decarbonising Aviation: Cleared for Take-Off is here.

Flight Path: Shell’s response, is here.

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Advanced production methods use bio-naphtha and light hydrocarbon gasses created during the formation process to create hydrogen. Hydrogen and high-pressure steam are then used in the production process to convert oils into fuels (hydroprocessing), helping to reduce the fuel’s carbon intensity. READ MORE

Royal Dutch Shell Sells Permian Basin Oil Holdings for $9.5 Billion -- The deal with ConocoPhillips comes with oil prices high, Permian production strong and Shell under pressure to move faster to cut carbon emissions. (New York Times)

Shell Exits Permian In $9.5 Billion Deal (OilPrice.com)

Shell sets goal to produce 2 million tons of SAF annually (Biomass Magazine)

Shell to build biofuel facility in the Netherlands (The Chemical Engineer)

Shell pushes ahead with major new Rotterdam SAF production facility, potentially to be coupled with CCS (GreenAir Online)

Shell unveils ambitious SAF production plans (Royal Dutch Shell/Biobased Diesel Daily)