Honeywell has announced a new technology designed to convert agricultural and forestry waste into renewable fuels for industries that are difficult to decarbonize, such as maritime shipping. The technology enables the production of lower-carbon marine fuel, gasoline, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from biomass sources like wood chips and crop residues.
The company says these renewable “drop-in” fuels can be used by ship operators as a cost-effective alternative to traditional heavy fuel oil. Honeywell notes that the new marine fuel offers higher energy density than many current biofuel options, which allows vessels to travel longer distances without requiring modifications to their engines.
“Honeywell continues to drive innovation in the areas that our customers need most,” said Ken West, president of Honeywell Energy and Sustainability Solutions. “The maritime industry has a real need for renewable fuels that are immediately available and cost effective. Our Biocrude Upgrading processing technology can be delivered in modular form, offering savings from the point of installation through to refining and use.”
According to Honeywell, converting plant and agricultural waste into biocrude at collection sites helps reduce transportation costs. The biocrude can then be refined at major facilities into marine fuel, gasoline, or SAF. This approach addresses challenges related to making biocrudes perform similarly to conventional fuels.
The Biocrude Upgrading process is available as a prefabricated modular plant. Honeywell states this format can help customers reduce risk and speed up project timelines by simplifying construction activities.
Shipping companies are under increasing pressure from customers and regulations to cut carbon emissions. Since the 1960s, heavy fuel oil has been the main energy source for ships and is responsible for about 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions according to data from the U.S. Department of Energy (https://www.energy.gov/eere/maritime-decarbonization).
Honeywell’s latest technology adds to its portfolio of renewable fuel solutions, which includes EcofiningTM, Ethanol to Jet technology, Fischer-Tropsch Unicracking technology, and UOP eFining—a process that converts green hydrogen and carbon dioxide into e-fuels. More information on Honeywell’s renewable fuels offerings is available at https://uop.honeywell.com/en/industry-solutions/renewable-fuels.
Honeywell operates globally across several sectors including aerospace, building automation, industrial automation, process automation, and process technology.
