Sasol, a global chemicals and energy company, and Topsoe, a global leader in carbon emission reduction technologies, have signed a landmark agreement to establish a 50/50 joint venture (JV), subject to approval by relevant authorities, solidifying their commitment to producing sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) to contribute to global efforts in combating climate change.
Global mobility connecting people, cultures and businesses across continents allows progress and freedom, but it also comes with the challenge of carbon emissions. The aviation sector alone contributes 2 – 3% of global carbon emissions. SAF decarbonising air transport are called for globally by industry and regulators. The future JV will go beyond the unique combination of technologies, capabilities and deep industry experience to lay the foundation to go beyond in the scaling up of SAF production.
The purpose of the Sasol Topsoe JV is to develop, build, own and operate SAF plants, and market SAF derived primarily from non-fossil feedstock, utilising green hydrogen, sustainable sources of carbon dioxide (CO2) and/or biomass with a specific focus on Sasol’s Fischer Tropsch and Topsoe’s related technologies. Together, this proven partnership intends to bring future-proof solutions to the market.
Fleetwood Grobler, Sasol President and CEO, highlighted the long-term ambitions of Sasol in SAF, stating: "Sasol is delighted to join forces with Topsoe, furthering our global SAF aspiration. This is an important milestone in advancing our long-term strategy to become net zero by 2050. As we transform our business to focus on decarbonisation while preserving and growing value, this JV is testament to the decades of collaboration between our two companies.”
Roeland Baan, CEO at Topsoe, expressed his enthusiasm for this milestone, stating: “As part of our proven partnership, this future business is an important moment of progress at a critical time. We need to keep the world open by creating more sustainable ways of flying, and our shared commitment to accelerating SAF is a vital part of this. We believe no one is better placed than the company formed by Sasol and Topsoe to deliver the means to scale SAF production”.