Emerson has secured a contract from Technip Energies to supply automation technologies for SkyNRG’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant in Delfzijl, the first dedicated greenfield SAF production facility in Europe, Hydrocarbon Processing reported.
Emerson’s DeltaV integrated control and safety system (ICSS) will be deployed at the facility to support safe and reliable startup and long-term operations while helping reduce project risks.
Currently under construction, the facility is expected to begin operations in 2028 with an annual SAF production capacity of around 100,000 tonnes. The plant will convert residual fats and greases into sustainable “drop-in” aviation fuel that can be blended with conventional jet fuel without modifications to aircraft or existing fuelling infrastructure.
The project will support the Netherlands’ efforts to meet the European Union’s SAF requirements under the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation. The regulation requires jet fuel supplied at EU airports to contain at least 2% SAF from 2025, with the requirement increasing progressively to 70% by 2050.
“Developing Europe’s first dedicated sustainable aviation fuel facility is a major step in scaling SAF production and supporting aviation decarbonization,” said Bart Rosendaal, site director of DSL-01 at SkyNRG.
“Working with experienced partners like Technip Energies and Emerson helps ensure we can deliver a safe, reliable and future-ready plant from day one,” he added.
As a greenfield project, the facility will incorporate digital automation technologies from the beginning. Emerson’s ICSS will combine its DeltaV distributed control system with a DeltaV safety instrumented system to provide process control, safety shutdown and fire and gas detection capabilities.
The company will also deploy its AMS Device Manager plant asset management software to support commissioning and maintenance by providing device information, equipment health insights and diagnostics from intelligent field devices.
The automation systems will cover the plant’s major process units, including the hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids process used to produce SAF, an advanced feedstock pre-treatment unit and an on-site hydrogen plant based on Technip Energies’ proprietary high-efficiency steam methane reforming technology.
According to Emerson, integration of these systems will provide real-time operational visibility and support stable and consistent plant performance, with the aim of improving reliability and optimising throughput.
Emerson will also provide end-to-end project services, combining digital technologies and modern project management approaches to simplify engineering and optimise operations.
Integration of the ICSS with multiple modular production units is expected to simplify commissioning. DeltaV Electronic Marshalling with distributed CHARMs will reduce field wiring requirements while providing greater flexibility to accommodate design changes during the later stages of the project.
“Projects such as SkyNRG’s SAF facility represent the future of energy and sustainable fuels,” said Nathan Pettus, president of Emerson’s process systems and solutions business.
“With complex, first-of-a-kind plants, early engineering alignment and a fully integrated automation architecture are key to delivering predictable project outcomes and consistent operational performance over the long term,” he added.
