Honeywell, NTPC come together for SAF production in India

Honeywell has made a key announcement wherein it has entered into a strategic collaboration with NTPC Green Energy to explore the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in India. Honeywell says that this marks a significant step toward greener air travel and cleaner energy.

SAF, a low-emission alternative to traditional jet fuel, is derived from non-petroleum sources and plays a vital role in reducing carbon emissions from the aviation sector.

As part of the agreement, the two companies will evaluate the use of Honeywell’s proprietary eFining technology to convert captured carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from NTPC’s power plants, along with green hydrogen, into SAF. This process has the potential to create a renewable fuel source using existing industrial by-products and cutting-edge clean energy.

“SAF production forms the sizeable part of the ambitious Green Hydrogen Hub of NTPC Green in Pudimadaka, Andhra Pradesh. We believe that the mandate in the aviation sector for blending SAF in jet fuel will drive many early mover projects in green hydrogen,” said DMR Panda, Executive Director (Green Hydrogen), NTPC Ltd.

“We are excited to work with NTPC Green on this initiative to advance India’s transition towards cleaner aviation fuels and goal of working toward carbon neutrality,” said Ranjit Kulkarni, Vice President and General Manager, Energy and Sustainability Solutions, Honeywell India. “Our collaboration with NTPC Green will leverage Honeywell’s expertise in SAF solutions to efficiently treat emissions from thermal energy, foster green hydrogen adoption, diversify feedstocks for SAF production and help India’s aviation sector meet its long-term environmental goals.”

NTPC Green Energy sees this initiative as a key opportunity to expand its portfolio of green fuels. By blending SAF with conventional jet fuel, the company aims to support various sustainability-driven projects across its operations.

As per Honeywell, the new partnership supports India’s broader environmental goals, including its commitment to reducing carbon emissions and strengthening energy independence. By leveraging advanced technologies and renewable inputs, the collaboration is expected to help position India as a future hub for sustainable fuel innovation.

This move is also in line with India’s climate commitments made during the COP26 summit in November 2021, where the country pledged to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.

NTPC claims to be on the forefront of green hydrogen development in the country with some state of the art facilities being established by the company. Last November, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for NTPC Green Hydrogen Hub at Pudimadaka, near Visakhapatnam. It is also setting up green hydrogen production plant using Plasma Oxy Gasification of MSW/Agri-Waste technology.