Honeywell Launches New Biomass Pyrolysis Oil Upgrading Process

Honeywell recently launched a groundbreaking technology—Biocrude Upgrading, a biomass pyrolysis oil upgrading process. This technology can convert agricultural and forestry waste into ready-to-use renewable fuels, meeting the emission reduction demands of industries such as shipping. By utilizing economical and abundant biomass materials like wood chips and crop residues, the Biocrude Upgrading process can produce low-carbon marine fuels, gasoline, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

It is reported that for ship operators, these ready-to-use or directly substitutable fuels provide a cost-effective and low-carbon alternative to conventional heavy fuel oil. Compared to other biofuels currently on the market, this renewable marine fuel has a higher energy density and can extend the range without the need for costly engine modifications.

"Honeywell always takes the most pressing needs of customers as the driving force for innovation," said Ken West, President of Honeywell's Energy and Sustainability Technologies Group. "The shipping industry urgently requires readily available and cost-effective renewable fuels. Our Biocrude Upgrading technology supports modular delivery, helping customers save costs, reduce risks, and accelerate project timelines from installation to refining and use."

Plant and agricultural waste can be converted into low-carbon bio-crude oil on-site at raw material collection points, thereby reducing transportation costs. Honeywell's new process technology enables bio-crude oil to be refined in large refining facilities into marine fuel, gasoline, or sustainable aviation fuel, addressing the long-standing challenge of bio-crude oil's performance being difficult to match that of traditional fuels when converted into fuel.

Over the past decade, Honeywell has continuously innovated and launched multiple process technologies for preparing renewable alternative fuels using different raw materials. The new Biocrude Upgrading technology further enriches Honeywell's renewable fuel technology portfolio, including Ecofining process technology, Ethanol-to-Jet (ETJ) sustainable aviation fuel technology, Fischer-Tropsch (FT) Unicracking technology, and UOP eFining technology for producing e-fuels using green hydrogen and carbon dioxide.