Sulzer is helping to build a world-class renewable fuel plant in Malaysia – Chemical Engineering

November 21, 2022 | By Mary Bailey

Sulzer Chemtech Ltd. (Winterthur, Switzerland) will support Vandelay Ventures Sdn Bhd in building a global scale production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel. Through this partnership, the Sabah Maju Jaya Renewable Energy Industrial Complex (SMJREIC) in Sapangar Bay, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia will be able to produce 250,000 tonnes of renewable fuel per year while maintaining low emissions.

Under the agreement, Sulzer Chemtech, in collaboration with Duke Technologies LLC, will provide its licensed BioFlux technology, basic engineering packages (BEPs) and technical services for the SMJREIC facility. This will allow bio-based hydrotreatment of feedstock and its selective conversion to high-quality SAF and renewable diesel.

BioFlux technology is a cost-effective, energy- and resource-efficient solution for producing more sustainable fuels and can reduce carbon intensity by up to 11% compared to conventional hydrotreatment plants.

With an expected capacity of 250,000 tonnes, SMJREIC will be able to play a key role in promoting SAF in the aviation industry. Essentially, this will help meet growing demand, given that SAF use has already reached 150 million liters (approx. 120,000 tons) in 2022.

Haji Mohamed Mohar, CEO of Vandelay Ventures Sdn Bhd comments: “Through our renewable fuel portfolio, we aim to contribute to the decarbonisation of the transport and manufacturing industries. We can achieve this with Sulzer Chemtech’s advanced technology and expertise, as BioFlux will help us use more sustainable feedstocks on a large scale, while also minimizing the environmental impact of biofuel production.”

Sander van Donk, Global Business Unit Head of Clean Fuels and Chemicals Licensing at Sulzer Chemtech, adds: “This is a truly ambitious project and we are proud to be part of it to open the door to a net-zero carbon future. We look forward to using our BioFlux technology and engineering capabilities to support one of the largest low-carbon renewable fuel plants in Southeast Asia.”