Arcadia eFuels (Arcadia), a leading developer of eFuels, Sasol, a global chemicals and energy company, and Topsoe, a global leader in carbon emission reduction technologies, have signed a single license agreement for Arcadia’s Vordingborg eFuels plant. The signing of the agreement represents a major milestone in maturing the project and ahead of the next major milestone being Arcadia’s final investment decision.

The production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) is not only important for the three companies. Society is in desperate need for low carbon alternatives to a fossil-fuelled aviation industry. According to IATA – the International Aviation Transport Association – 2022 only saw around 300 million litres of SAF being produced. This compared to an estimated need of 450 billion litres per year needed for the airline sector to achieve CO2 emissions by 2050.
 
Once operational, the plant will deliver eFuel for the Danish and European aviation markets to help meet the European Union mandate of 1.2% RFNBO (Renewable Fuels of non-Biological Origin) or eFuels in 2030.

Amy Hebert, CEO Arcadia eFuels, said: “We’re pleased to conclude this license and engineering agreement with two best in class companies acting as a single point licensor. Their commercial experience in syngas, Fischer Tropsch and refining technology development and licencing combined with Arcadia’s novel engineering approach allows us speed to market. Meeting the needs of the aviation and heavy transportation industry’s decarbonization efforts is of high priority for Arcadia.”

Elena Scaltritti, CCO at Topsoe, said: “We’re on a pathway to decarbonize aviation and other hard-to-abate sectors, and this project is a big step in the right direction. Arcadia has made great strides in very short time, reaching this milestone on their first project. This agreement emphasizes our combined commitment to a sustainable future in aviation fuel production and supports Topsoe’s ambition to be the leader in low carbon solutions.”

Helge Sachs, SVP of Sasol ecoFT, said: “This is a momentous occasion for us to offering the first G2L^TM license, a technology which allows a pathway to accelerate the decarbonization of our industry, specifically the aviation and heavy transport industries. It is a culmination of many years of development and cooperation between two world class leading technology partners to be able to offer Arcadia and the market a combined Power to Liquid technology.”

Topsoe and Sasol’s contribution

The technology support for Arcadia marks the first single point license between Topsoe and Sasol, where the two companies will deliver their proprietary technology (G2L^TM), converting CO₂ and H₂ into eFuel for aviation.

The technology primarily differs from production of natural gas-based fuels in the feedstock and technology for synthesis gas production. In eFuels plants, the feedstock is carbon dioxide, water, and power. The water is converted into hydrogen by means of electrolysis and the synthesis gas is produced from carbon dioxide and hydrogen.