GPS Renewables, one of the leading global full-stack, renewable oil & gas companies offering technology and project solutions for climate-positive biofuel projects, has partnered with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL) to develop a first-of-a-kind commercial-scale production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from ethanol. The same technology can be used to produce SAF from methanol as well.
As part of the partnership, GPS Renewables will invest in developing technology based on a patented catalyst from CSIR-NCL. The technology will enable one-step oligomerization of ethylene and other olefins – a process where small molecules are joined together to form larger molecules that emulate Aviation Turbine Fuel. Multiple players have demonstrated the Ethanol-to-Jet Fuel process at lab scale, but commercial-scale production has remained elusive.
With a license to the CSIR-NCL technology, GPS will engineer a commercial-scale plant under the project brand NG SAF. This partnership aims to demonstrate the first commercial-scale Ethanol-To-Jet plant. GPS Renewables holds the exclusive rights to commercialize this technology.
Currently, SAF is produced on a commercial scale primarily through the HEFA pathway (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids), which uses feedstocks like Used Cooking Oil (UCO) or animal fats. In India, large-scale HEFA production is not a feasible solution due to the lack of an organized UCO collection system and FSSAI restrictions on importing UCO. These feedstock challenges make it difficult to scale SAF production through the HEFA route in India, thereby highlighting the need for an alternative, home-grown technology that can boost SAF production. Ethanol from 2G biomass is expected to be a key product of the Indian agri-biomass ecosystem, and this will be the feedstock for the CSIR-NCL-GPS SAF production.
Commenting on the collaboration, Gomatam Ravi, CTO, GPS Renewables, said, “We are thrilled to partner with CSIR-NCL to build an indigenous and breakthrough SAF technology that can position India as a leader in SAF production. At GPS, we have always prioritized technology that can fast-track India’s transition to clean energy, and this collaboration reflects that commitment. While many have demonstrated the process at lab scale, none have succeeded in producing SAF from Ethanol at an industrial scale. With NG SAF, we aim to change that. We are confident that with our expertise in scaling cleantech solutions and CSIR-NCL’s scientific backing, we can deliver an indigenous and industrially viable SAF solution to the world.”
Dr. Ashish Lele, Director, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, said, “One of our core strengths at CSIR-NCL lies in working closely with industry leaders to transform disruptive ideas into commercially deployable solutions. Scientific research, when coupled with industry collaboration, can create promising solutions to address global challenges. This indigenous technology, named NG SAF, based on CSIR-NCL’s patented oligomerization process, can be a game-changer to decarbonize the aviation sector. GPS Renewables’ proven track record and extensive experience in clean fuels make them an ideal partner to take this innovation from the lab to the market.”
Mainak Chakraborty, Co-Founder and CEO, GPS Renewables, highlighted the importance of the team behind the program, saying “The technical advisory team to the NG SAF project is a thing of dreams, including Dr. Anjan Ray, (Former Director UOP and Former Director of Indian Institute of Petroleum), Dr. Arvind Lali, (Retired Professor from ICT Mumbai), Dr. Ashish Lele, (Director NCL), Gomatam Ravi, (Former Head of Shell Technology Center), Dr. Samir Chikkali (Humboldt Fellow and Faculty at NCL), and several others. GPSR has an engineering team of 120 people, adding up decades of experience from the likes of Petrofac, Petronas, Technip, Toyo, McDermott, Lauren USA, L&T, and other industry leaders, all of whom have come together to make NG SAF a reality.”
