HIF Global initiates engineering for U.S. Sustainable Aviation Fuel facility, selects Johnson Matthey & Honeywell technologies

HIF intends to produce ~11,000 barrels per day of eSAF by 2030, decarbonizing ~12 billion air passenger miles per year in its second U.S. facility

HOUSTON, May 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- HIF Global, the world's leading eFuels company, today announced agreements with Johnson Matthey and Honeywell to conduct preliminary engineering for HIF's first Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) facility in the United States. The facility would produce approximately 11,000 barrels per day of eSAF, decarbonizing over 12 billion air passenger miles per year.¹

eSAF is sustainable aviation fuel made by combining recycled carbon dioxide (CO₂) with hydrogen produced using renewable electricity. eSAF can be dropped-in to existing jet engines without any modifications required.

Meg Gentle, Executive Director of HIF Global, said, "eFuels are a replacement for fossil fuels and are a necessary solution for decarbonizing global transportation. At HIF Global, we have already demonstrated the capability to produce eMethanol for marine transport and eGasoline for road transport with the 2022 start-up of the HIF Haru Oni Demonstration Facility in southern Patagonia, Chile, where the wind is blowing all the time.  Together with Johnson Matthey and Honeywell, we intend to deliver an eFuel solution for airplanes before 2030."

Renato Pereira, CEO of HIF USA, added, "Air travel is the most challenging sector of the global transportation infrastructure to decarbonize, with limited low carbon alternatives to serve growing demand for jet fuel.  The simplicity of eFuels is that they are produced from air and water for use in existing engines. eSAF produced using Honeywell's technology can reduce CO₂ emissions compared to conventional jet fuel by 88%.² When blended with conventional jet fuel, eSAF can be dropped-in immediately to existing jet engines with no modifications required."

Johnson Matthey's technology will use green hydrogen and recycled CO₂ to produce eMethanol which can be used in the shipping and chemical industries or upgraded into other eFuels including eSAF. Johnson Matthey's technology is producing eMethanol today at the HIF Haru Oni Demonstration Plant in Chile.

The Honeywell UOP eFining™ technology processes eMethanol into a light olefin stream utilizing Honeywell's methanol to olefins process, which is then oligomerized, hydrogenated and finally fractionated to produce eSAF. The technology offers a highly integrated design that can process flexible feedstocks using commercially proven processes, resulting in operational reliability, minimized capital expenditures, and low energy intensity.

Alberto Giovanzana, Chief Commercial Officer of Catalyst Technologies at Johnson Matthey, said: "We are very excited to be collaborating again with HIF, offering JM's CO2-to-methanol technology in this leading eFuels project. JM's sustained innovation on methanol process and catalyst technology is allowing us to move at scale and pace in one of the routes to eSAF that enables the transition to net zero."  

"As the leader in renewable fuel technology, Honeywell is well aware that creating technologies that can use additional feedstocks is vital to long-term decarbonization of the aviation sector," said Lucian Boldea, president and CEO of Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies. "The ability to partner with an industry leader like HIF Global to use readily abundant CO₂ to produce eSAF is a transformational opportunity for this market." 

About HIF Global
HIF Global is the world's leading eFuels company, developing projects to convert hydrogen using low cost renewable power into carbon neutral liquid eFuels that can be transported and utilized in existing infrastructure. The name HIF represents the mission of the company: to provide Highly Innovative Fuels to make decarbonization of the planet possible. HIF Chile, HIF USA, HIF Asia Pacific, and HIF EMEA are wholly owned subsidiaries of HIF Global. HIF Global started producing the first liters of synthetic Fuels from the Haru Oni Demonstration Facility in Magallanes, Chile in December 2022 and intends to begin construction of the commercial scale HIF Matagorda eFuels Facility in Texas in 2024. HIF Global's first Australian development, in Tasmania, was announced in July 2022. For more information, visit www.hifglobal.com.

About Johnson Matthey
Johnson Matthey is a global leader in sustainable technologies, catalyzing the net zero transition. With over 200 years of sustained commitment to innovation and technological breakthroughs, we improve the performance, function and safety of our customers' products. Our science has a global impact in areas such as low emission transport, energy, chemical processing and making the most efficient use of the planet's natural resources. Today, about 13,000 Johnson Matthey professionals collaborate with our network of customers and partners to make a real difference to the world around us. For more information visit www.matthey.com.

About Honeywell
Honeywell delivers industry-specific solutions that include aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help aircraft, buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, visit https://www.honeywell.com/us/en/news

CAUTIONARY INFORMATION ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Information in this press release includes various statements that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Words such as "can," "expect," potential," "to be," "will," and similar expressions are used to identify forward-looking statements and convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. Forward-looking statements in this press release relate to, among other things, the expectations of our plans, strategies, and objectives, including with respect to the timing and other aspects of the HIF eFuels facilities. Such statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements include (without limitation): our ability to timely obtain or maintain necessary permits to construct and develop the HIF eFuels facilities; our ability to execute operational objectives on a timely and successful basis; legislative, policy, fiscal and regulatory developments; the outcome of commercial negotiations; our ability to raise financing; consumer preferences or demand; and various economic, business, and competitive factors affecting our business. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this paragraph. HIF Global urges you to carefully review and consider the cautionary statements made in this press release and cautions you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. HIF Global undertakes no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE HIF Global