10-03-2016

Honeywell UOP technology powering commercial-scale biorefinery

AltAir is the second U.S. fuel producer using Honeywell UOP technology to produce renewable fuels and the first producing jet fuel, joining Diamond Green Diesel, which is producing renewable diesel in Louisiana.

Honeywell UOP announced today its process technology is being used to produce commercial-scale amounts of renewable jet and diesel fuels.

AltAir Paramount LLC is using Honeywell UOP's proprietary renewable jet fuel process technology to convert a variety of sustainable feedstocks into Honeywell Green Jet Fuel™ at the world's first dedicated commercial-scale renewable jet fuel production facility. The plant, located near the Los Angeles International Airport, has also produced Honeywell Green Diesel™, a drop-in replacement for diesel made from petroleum, using the same process technology.

"Production by AltAir and Diamond Green Diesel demonstrates that the vision of producing real fuels from sustainable feedstocks has taken the crucial step from technology demonstration to commercial-scale production," said Veronica May, vice president and general manager of Honeywell UOP's Renewable Energy and Chemicals business. "Honeywell UOP is committed to continuing to advance its technology to give fuel producers options to use sustainable feedstocks."

Headquartered in Paramount, Calif., AltAir Paramount has developed and operates several units at a Paramount Petroleum Corporation (a subsidiary of Alon USA Energy) refinery for the production of low carbon fuels and chemicals derived from sustainable feedstocks. AltAir revamped portions of the petroleum refinery in Paramount and is now producing renewable transportation fuels for commercial and military use. United Airlines announced in 2013 its intention to buy 15 million gallons of renewable jet fuel from AltAir over a three-year period.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Navy's Great Green Fleet, a carrier strike fleet of ships and aircraft, began using renewable fuel on regular deployments as part of the Navy's efforts to demonstrate and deploy alternative sources of fuel, reduce energy consumption, decrease reliance on imported oil and significantly increase use of alternative energy. The ships are being powered by a blend of renewable marine diesel from AltAir – made from domestic sources of inedible waste, fats, oils and greases – and petroleum-based marine diesel. For the initial delivery in January 2016, AltAir prepared 1.34 million gallons of F-76 type Naval Distillate Fuel.  

The renewable jet fuel process makes Honeywell Green Jet Fuel as well as Honeywell Green Diesel from a range of sustainable feedstocks such as used cooking oil, inedible corn oil, tallow, camelina, jatropha and algae. The process is compatible with existing refinery equipment commonly used in today's refineries, making it easier for refiners to use existing infrastructure to produce renewable fuels.

Honeywell Green Diesel offers up to an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions versus diesel from petroleum. Chemically identical to petroleum diesel, Honeywell Green Diesel can be used in any proportion in existing fuel tanks without infrastructure changes. Unlike biodiesel, Honeywell Green Diesel is a drop-in replacement for traditional diesel.

In aircraft, Honeywell Green Jet Fuel can replace as much as 50 percent of petroleum jet fuel used in flight, without any changes to the aircraft technology, while meeting the current ASTM jet fuel specifications for flight. Depending on the feedstock, Honeywell Green Jet Fuel can offer a 65 to 85 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared with petroleum-based jet fuel.

AltAir Paramount is a 35 million gallon per year renewable fuels company that operates at Paramount Petroleum Corporation's refinery in Paramount, Calif. AltAir is an innovator in the renewable fuels sector, providing a drop-in replacement to conventional fuels, and is the world's first dedicated commercial-scale renewable jet fuel production facility. AltAir Paramount is a subsidiary of Alon USA Energy with its partners being Vandewater Capital Holdings and New Energy Capital.

For more information, please visit www.uop.com