Global sustainable fuels technology company Axens has been selected by Canada-based Expander Energy Inc. to provide its advanced Fischer-Tropsch (FT) Liquid Upgrading technology for projects aimed at producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from cellulosic biomass, AlchemPro reported.
The technology will support Expander’s patented Enhanced Biomass to Liquids (EBTL) and Biomass Electrolysis to Liquids (BETL) processes, which are designed to convert cellulosic feedstocks into drop-in, second-generation fuels, including SAF.
The first deployments are planned at two commercial projects in Canada — the Wheatland Bio-Synfuels Facility near Calgary, Alberta, and the Mackenzie Biomass Derived E-Fuels Facility in northern British Columbia.
Both projects are progressing through regulatory and financing milestones, with final investment decisions targeted for December 2026.
Expander has also selected Axens as its strategic upgrading technology provider for a broader portfolio of SAF and renewable diesel developments. The partnership is aimed at scaling commercially viable pathways for producing lower-carbon aviation fuels from biomass.
Tina Craft, CEO of Axens Americas, said the company would support the growing adoption of second-generation fuels by leveraging its hydro-upgrading portfolio and expertise in advanced fuel production.
Gord Crawford, President and CEO of Expander Energy, said Axens’ technology would help ensure that the final-stage processing of the company’s Bio-SynJet sustainable aviation fuel meets the technical specifications required by the aviation industry.
The projects could provide an additional pathway for SAF production by using cellulosic biomass as a feedstock, supporting efforts to reduce the aviation sector’s dependence on conventional fossil-based jet fuel.
