Aircraft engine maker Honeywell said on January 30 that it recently took a first delivery of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at its Phoenix Engines campus.
The fuel will support development and production testing of auxiliary power units (APUs) and propulsion engines at the site, along with testing of fielded units from Honeywell's repair and overhaul facility, the company said.
The SAF was developed by World Energy in California using Honeywell's UOP Ecofining technology and was distributed by World Fuel Services. It was made by converting "readily available" renewable materials such as hydro-treated esters and fatty acids, according to Honeywell.
The SAF can be combined with conventional jet fuel to power aircraft in blends of up to 50% with petroleum-based jet fuel. The blend "requires no changes to engine or aircraft fuel systems or fuel infrastructure", Honeywell said.
"At Honeywell, we see SAF as a logical path to decarbonise the aviation industry and we consider our facilities as laboratories for sustainable innovation," said Dave Marinick, president of engines and power systems at Honeywell Aerospace, which has over 36,000 APUs, including both fixed wing and rotary wing, in service across more than 150 regional, executive, commercial and military applications.