Story ID: 
New SAF Process Could Transform Industry
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: Flexiforming can use multiple feedstocks, even other SAF byproducts
Word Count: 234
Universal Fuel Technologies (UFT) said its new sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production pathway process could be an industry game-changer. The Los Altos, California-based company has developed flexiforming, a process that uses different feedstocks and even the byproducts from existing renewable fuel manufacturing processes to produce renewable fuels such as SAF.
According to the company, its process has been tested on more than 50 different feedstocks, and it can also be integrated into existing SAF facilities, upgrading low-value byproducts into SAF and helping to drive down manufacturing costs. In addition, it claims that its flexiforming SAF—while not tested to ASTM standards—is drop-in ready.
“This technology allows SAF producers to create a genuinely drop-in-ready renewable jet fuel due to the presence of all required molecules,” said UFT CEO Alexei Beltyukov. “For example, a SAF producer using HEFA, which only produces paraffinic SAF, could add flexiforming to their plant to convert naphtha and LPG byproducts to aromatic SAF that can be blended with the HEFA SAF for a fully synthetic jet fuel that can be sold directly without the need for blending with conventional jet fuel.”
Beltyukov told AIN that the process is also energy efficient, using 75% less energy than existing ethanol-to-jet technologies, as well as 33% less hydrogen. The company expects to submit its process to ASTM by year-end, along with the first commercial application.