Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egypt has taken a major step toward decarbonizing its aviation sector, awarding the country’s first license for the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to the Egyptian Sustainable Aviation Fuel Company (ESAF), a subsidiary of the state-owned Egyptian Petrochemicals Holding Company (ECHEM). The milestone agreement was signed in the presence of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Karim Badawi between ESAF and Honeywell UOP, one of the global leaders in renewable fuel technologies.
The licensing agreement paves the way for Egypt’s first SAF production facility, to be constructed in Alexandria. The plant will convert used cooking oil into as much as 120,000 tons of jet fuel per year, a development officials say could reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 400,000 tons. The project is expected to play a central role in Egypt’s long-term strategy to curb aviation emissions while expanding the nation’s footprint in renewable energy industries.
Minister Badawi hailed the project as a significant turning point for Egypt’s petroleum and petrochemical sectors. According to a ministry statement, he described the facility as both an environmental breakthrough and an investment opportunity that aligns with Egypt’s wider transition toward green energy. “This project represents a key milestone for our industry and reinforces Egypt’s commitment to developing low-carbon technologies,” Badawi said.
Khaled Hashem, President of Honeywell for the Middle East and North Africa, echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the company’s commitment to supporting Egypt’s energy-transition goals. Honeywell UOP’s SAF technology, first commercialized in 2016, is among the world’s leading platforms for converting non-edible oils, animal fats, and waste feedstocks into renewable jet fuel. The process, based on advanced hydrogenation methods, offers a conversion efficiency of roughly 80 percent and produces aviation-grade fuel that meets rigorous international safety and performance standards.
Honeywell’s technology has been instrumental in the development of the world’s first fully SAF-powered production facility and supports multiple future pathways, including eFining technologies capable of producing jet fuel from methanol. The company noted that such technological flexibility will be crucial as global aviation moves toward stricter emissions targets.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel, derived from renewable non-petroleum sources, is widely viewed as the most immediate pathway for airlines to cut emissions. SAF blends typically ranging from 10 to 50 percent with conventional jet fuel, are already in use at dozens of airports worldwide. According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), more than 360,000 commercial flights have used SAF to date, primarily across the United States and Europe.
Egypt’s move to establish its first SAF plant comes as the country ramps up its climate and energy-transition initiatives. In 2024, the government created ESAF specifically to lead the development of sustainable aviation fuels and align the sector with national climate commitments. The new Alexandria plant is expected not only to serve domestic aviation but also to position Egypt as a regional supplier of low-carbon jet fuel.
As global demand for SAF accelerates, the project could place Egypt among the early leaders in the Middle East’s emerging renewable aviation fuel market, an industry seen as critical to the global push for carbon-neutral air travel by mid-century.
