SAF production in France

Haffner Energy announces new strategic project

SAF production in France:

Haffner Energy announces new strategic project

Vitry-le-François, May 16, 2024, 8:00 am (CEST), France

Paris-Vatry SAF is a new Sustainable Aviation Fuel production project led by Haffner Energy, the company announces today. This facility is designed to meet the exponential demand for the decarbonization of air transport. Developed with multiple public and private partners, Paris-Vatry SAF will be located at Paris-Vatry airport, in the Grand-Est Region.

“This is a strategic project, as it contributes to the decarbonization of aviation and reflects the green reindustrialization policy, a source of job creation, that we are collectively pursuing. It offers unprecedented development prospects for the economic and industrial sovereignty of the Grand-Est Region and of France", states Regional President Franck Leroy.

The biofuel will be produced using Haffner Energy's patented technological process, via the thermolysis of local biomass residues. Marne County (“département de la Marne”) is close to Paris and owns Paris-Vatry airport, where the project will be developed. It is also France's leading agricultural county in terms of Useful Agricultural Surface (SAU), with a remarkably high level of agricultural residues.

The county has signed an MoU with Haffner Energy.

“Haffner Energy's SAF production project is fully in line with our ambition to enhance the attractiveness of Paris-Vatry airport in order to strengthen its economic development,” says Jean-Marc Roze, President of the Marne County government. “Our airport has great potential, and the availability of sustainable aviation fuel will be a competitive advantage in attracting airlines with regular import and export flows,” he adds.

An ambitious project to decarbonize aviation

Paris-Vatry SAF will boast an initial production capacity of 30,000 tonnes of SAF per year, with the option of doubling production to 60,000 tonnes. A tripling to 90,000 tonnes per year could also be achieved by adding modules in a second phase of the project.

Each tonne of SAF amounts to 3 tons of CO2 avoided in the atmosphere, according to life-cycle analysis. In addition, more than 3 tonnes of biogenic CO2 are extracted from the SAFNOCA process.

This project will contribute to meet regulatory obligations to decarbonize aviation in Europe. Several airlines have already expressed a keen interest in the SAF produced at Paris-Vatry airport, not least because of its proximity to major international airports, primarily Paris-Charles de Gaulle, but also Luxembourg and Brussels. Several industry players have expressed an interest in investing in this project.