A new ethanol-to-jet production pathway for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) has been accepted into ASTM’s clearinghouse for qualification testing. Developed by Universal Fuel Technology (Unifuel), the “Flexiforming” process upgrades renewable feedstocks—including ethanol, methanol, renewable naphthas, and liquified petroleum gas—into SAF.
While SAF’s higher costs have proven to be one of the concerns regarding its wider adoption, according to Unifuel, its method uses 75% less energy and 33% less hydrogen than other processes. This results in a production cost savings of nearly 50%.
ASTM’s D4054 process is the industry framework that ensures the safety of new fuels, and entails detailed testing, data collection, and review by industry experts, including engine manufacturers and airframers. Acceptance into the clearinghouse is reserved for fuels that are not only technically credible and can be produced at meaningful scales, but also meet quality and safety criteria.
Unifuel’s clearinghouse acceptance comes after a five-month-long pilot project in which the company produced nearly 100 liters of sample SAF. These samples were tested by the Bioproducts, Sciences, and Engineering Lab at Washington State University, a leading authority in SAF research.
Now, the California-based company will focus on producing larger quantities of fuel for the extensive Tier 1 and Tier 2 testing required for ASTM qualification, which could come by the end of 2026. That would render its fuel suitable for blending with conventional jet-A, and further testing would follow along a path towards confirming it as a 100% synthetic drop-in jet fuel.
“The acceptance into the D4054 Clearinghouse confirms that Flexiforming can produce high-quality synthetic aviation turbine fuel with a clear route to ASTM qualification,” said Unifuel co-founder Denis Pchelintsev. “We’re positioned to support the aviation industry’s urgent need for cost-effective synthetic aviation turbine fuel that doesn’t compromise on performance or safety.”