Vattenfall, SAS, Shell and LanzaTech to study potential for large-scale synthetic ATJ in Sweden

In Sweden, Vattenfall, SAS, Shell and LanzaTech will together investigate the production of the world’s first synthetic sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using the LanzaJetTM “Alcohol to Jet” technology on a large scale in Sweden. Instead of using virgin fossil material in the production process, the synthetic SAF will be produced from fossil free electricity and recycled carbon dioxide from district heating.

The goal is that a new production facility will produce up to 50,000 metric tons of synthetic SAF annually, provided that an investment decision is made at a later stage. The synthetic SAF, also known as electrofuel, will be produced from fossil free electricity and recovered carbon dioxide using the LanzaJet “Alcohol to Jet” technology, developed by LanzaTech and the U.S Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). When full production is up and running it could provide SAS with up to 25 per cent of its global demand for sustainable aviation fuel in the 2030s.

A joint study has shown promising conditions for the project, and all partner companies now agree to carry out in-depth analyses. The ambition is to commission the new production facility sometime between 2026 and 2027 near Forsmark on Sweden’s east coast.