Elyse Energy and its partners launch the BioTJet project to support the reduction in the carbon intensity of the aviation industry

In light of the climate emergency, air transport is committed to reducing the carbon intensity of its activity. In addition to energy sobriety, the use of sustainable fuels, with low greenhouse gas emissions, will play a pivotal role in ensuring the sustainability of the industry.

A world first in the industry

Led by Elyse Energy, the BioTJet project aims at building and operating France’s first industrial plant for advanced biokerosene production, based on sustainable biomass, consisting of residues mainly from local forestry resources and end-of-life wood waste. Looking forward to 2027, the BioTJet project aims at providing air transport operators with a sustainable biokerosene volume equivalent to 30% of the annual consumption of Bordeaux Mérignac airport, and derivatives for shipping and road transport as well as for industry.

The BioTJet project leverages the BioTfueL® process. This process was tested, validated and optimised as part of the eponymous project led from 2010 to 2021 by a consortium comprising BioNext, Avril, Axens, CEA, IFP Energies Nouvelles, TotalEnergies and ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions.

The BioTJet project, a world first on an industrial scale, will promote a wide spectrum of lignocellulosic biomass, which does not compete with human consumption, in a chain combining torrefaction, gasification and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, for the production of sustainable aviation fuels and co-products such as bionaphtha, which can be used in green chemistry.

A green hydrogen injection option obtained by water electrolysis is also being considered. For an equivalent amount of biomass, the addition of hydrogen in the process would double fuel production and contribute to effectively and rapidly developing the indirect use of hydrogen for the aeronautics sector of tomorrow.

“The transition to a low-carbon economy requires immediate and large-scale action while responding to the constraints of the most challenging sectors in terms of carbon intensity reduction, such as industry and heavy mobility, points out Pascal Pénicaud, co-founder and President of Elyse Energy. The BioTJet project provides an immediate response to the challenges of carbon intensity reduction in the airline industry as it can replace the fossil fuels currently used without significantly altering existing infrastructures and engines”.

“We are very proud that the BioTfueL® technology is entering an industrial phase with the launch of BioTJet. This step is the culmination of a collective adventure of nearly 10 years that has required significant human and financial resources and allowed us to meet uncharted technological challenges, says Jean-Pierre Burzynski, Director of the Process Results Centre at IFP Energies Nouvelles. We are now fully involved with the partners of the BioTJet project to complete the industrial roll-out of this solution, which significantly reduces GHG emissions from air transport”.

Creating a French sustainable aviation fuel production industry

The BioTJet project received support from ADEME as part of the 4th Programme d’Investissements d’Avenir – France 2030 (Investing in the Future programme) via the Call for Projects for the “Development of a French sustainable aviation fuel production industry”. A final investment decision is expected at the end of 2024 for start-up by 2027.

The use of BioTJet advanced biokerosene will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 70% over its life cycle compared with conventional kerosene. The project should create hundreds of permanent and local jobs, essentially in the wood industry, but also on the production site(s).

In keeping with the French roadmap for the deployment of sustainable aviation biofuels, the national low-carbon strategy, and the EU regulatory announcements of the “Fit-for-55” and ReFuelEU Aviation packages, BioTJet will finally help meet the requirements in terms of replacing kerosene with sustainable aviation fuels made in France.