South Africa launches world first synthetic jet fuel

South African petrochemical giant Sasol (NYSE:SSL) has set a world record after flying the world's maiden commercial passenger flight powered solely by the company's 100 percent synthetic jet fuel, which is made by converting coal into liquid fuel.
The South African based company has been working over the 100 percent synthetic jet fuel, produced by its proprietary Coal to Liquids (CTL) process, for over 15 years.
The group's CTL fuel was produced on the South African land, by the country's scientists, using South Africa's home-grown technology.
In 2008, Sasol became the first company in the world to be given the go ahead by global aviation fuel specification authorities to use its 100 percent synthetic jet fuel on commercial aircraft.
''The fuel, produced by Sasol's proprietary Coal to Liquids process, is the world's only fully synthetic jet fuel to have received international approval as a commercial aviation turbine fuel," Sasol said in a statement.
To launch the CTL fuel, the company chartered four flights for the occasion. A Boeing (NYSE:BA) 737 flew from Johannesburg's Lanseria Airport to Cape Town for two hours. In addition to the 737 flight, Sasol CTL fuel was also used to power a two-hour Hawker 4000 flight. Both flights had passengers aboard. A King 350 and P-750 XSTOL light turboprop aircraft were also chartered for the occasion.
''While this has been a long journey, the delivery of a viable alternative jet fuel solution meets with the strict specifications of global aviation authorities is a proud acknowledgement of the enormous talent and expertise within the Sasol technology business, '' Sasol's CEO Pat Davies said.
''The approvals by international aviation fuel authorities of this product recognize the need to develop aviation fuel from feedstocks other than crude oil, in order to meet the world's growing needs," Davies added.
Sasol's CTL fuel is a positive step forward in the airline industry, especially since the industry in 2009 vowed to cut Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions by 1.5 percent per year over the next decade in order to make all industry growth carbon-neutral by 2020 and possibly reducing emissions by 50 percent come 2050.
Davies said the company had conducted extensive testing on the CTL fuel to ensure that the alternative jet fuel will give consumers better economic and environmental benefits compared to conventional jet fuel made from crude oil.
During the testing process 800, 000I of Sasol's CTL fuel was used on a jet engine, which replicated one year's flights between London and Johannesburg.
He also ensured that while flying around a CTL powered fuel jet, apart from lower soot and sulphur turbine-out emissions that result from virtually zero sulphur, consumers will enjoy the same kind of flight experience like when using a flight powered by conventional kerosene fuel.
In essence, CTL fuel does not produce lower CO2 emissions, but rather it is a cleaner burning fuel and place less stress on engine components.
''This is a very clean burning fuel and much better in terms of CO2 emissions, compared with conventional jet fuel. Sasol is always considering its environmental impact, and as a company we are looking at full cycle of reducing our carbon footprint, across our processes,'' Davies said.
According to Davies, the fuel will produce an alternative source of supply in the airline industry, where demand is always on the rise. However, he stated that the company would not be making the fuel 100 percent commercially available yet.
''Sasol is in the process of getting the technology in place to ensure that we are able to supply the markets with synthetic jet fuel as it starts making more commercial sense,'' he said.
Sasol's CTL fuel is just one of many environmentally friendly fuels the group is planning to produce. The company is currently is the process of finding environmentally friendly alternatives to crude-based kerosene.
At present, the company is looking to develop an algae-based fuel and looking at the possibility of mixing fuel from wood chips with its Gas to Liquids (GTL) fuel.
''Sasol, together with researchers at Rhodes University, is looking at developing an algae-based fuel and is currently working to improve the oil yield,'' manager of fuel technology at Sasol Paul Morgan said in a recent report.
However, Morgan pointed out that it will still be 10-15 years away before environmentally friendly fuels such as those they are working on will become available for widespread commercial use.
He explained that stringent parameters had to be taken when producing fuel for large commercial aircraft, in comparison to when producing fuel for cars. These strict measures had to adhere to the same specifications as that of fuel derived from traditional kerosene.
Sasol's largest facility, thus its home-base is located in the South African town of Secunda, east of Johannesburg. The company has operations across 30 countries, and with the increasing demand as well As growing need for its CTL and GTL services, Sasol is building plants in the Middle East and Nigeria, but its biggest potential venture will be set up in China.
''It's clear that the development of this 100 percent synthetic jet fuel has opened up a world of opportunities for Sasol, and while this has been a long journey for the group, the increasing demand and growing need for alternative fuel will soon turn these opportunities into a reality,'' Davies said.
Sasol is the world's leading producer of synthetic fuels from coal and natural gas. Sasol became the first company in 1998 to receive approval for the commercial use of a 50 percent fuel component blended with kerosene.
For the past 10 years, 50 percent of the aircraft departing from Africa's busiest airport, Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport, use Sasol's 50 percent synthetic jet fuel.
Sasol's CTL fuel is a major stepping stone for the South African company which seeks to secure domestic energy (OOTC:DMEC) supply not only in the country, but other countries with significant domestic coal and natural gas reserves. Therefore, earning the group a prime position to lead a new trend in the global energy market.
"South Africa is sitting on an abundance of coal and natural gas reserves, and Sasol consists of the technology, in line with what we are doing with petrol and diesel to convert these resources into jet fuel,'' Davies said.

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