Honeywell introduced a breakthrough technology that converts agricultural and forestry waste into ready-to-use renewable fuels for hard-to-abate sectors, like maritime industry. The technology produces lower-carbon marine fuel, gasoline and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from abundant biomass sources such as wood chips and crop residues. 

For ship operators, these “drop-in” fuels provide a cost-effective and lower-carbon alternative to traditional heavy fuel oil. With higher energy density than many current biofuel alternatives, this renewable marine fuel can extend a vessel’s range without requiring costly engine upgrades.

“Honeywell’s Biocrude Upgrading technology tackles key challenges in renewable fuel production—cost and feedstock availability—by converting low-cost, locally available residues such as forest and agricultural waste into lower-carbon fuels at reduced production costs,” said Ranjit Kulkarni, Vice President and General Manager, Energy and Sustainability Solutions, Honeywell India. “The innovation reinforces our commitment to advancing India’s energy transition through scalable, sustainable, and economically viable solutions that help industries meet the nation’s clean?energy?goals.”

Plant and agricultural waste can be converted into lower-carbon biocrude at the feedstock collection sites, which keeps transport costs low. Honeywell’s new process technology enables biocrude to then be refined at major facilities to produce marine fuel, gasoline or SAF. This helps solve long-standing challenges with converting biocrudes into fuels with performance comparable to conventional fuel. 

Biocrude Upgrading process technology can be delivered in the form of a prefabricated modular plant. As a result, Honeywell can help customers reduce risk and accelerate project timelines by simplifying site construction activity.

The introduction of Honeywell’s Biocrude Upgrading process technology comes as shipping companies seek to reduce their carbon footprints due to customer demands and regulatory drivers. Since the 1960s, heavy fuel oil—residual products from the refining of gasoline, diesel, and kerosene—has been the principal energy source for the maritime sector and a main source of its roughly 3 per cent  contribution of global greenhouse gas emissions.