Honeywell to power Petrobras SAF project in Brazil

American company Honeywell has announced that Brazilian multinational energy conglomerate Petrobras has selected its Ethanol-to-Jet (ETJ) process technology for project development at its REPLAN refinery in São Paulo, Brazil. Once approved, the project will deliver up to 10,000 barrels per day of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), representing the first large-scale ETJ initiative in Latin America.

Honeywell UOP’s ETJ process technology uses ethanol as a widely available, renewable feedstock, providing an economically viable pathway to quickly scale SAF production. Petrobras use of ethanol as a feedstock further underscores its commitment to advancing sustainable energy solutions and reducing carbon emissions in aviation.

“Honeywell has a long history of providing innovative process technologies and technical expertise to reduce the cost to produce renewable fuels and help customers leverage new feedstock options,” said Ken West, president and CEO of Honeywell Process Technology. “With Honeywell’s ethanol-to-jet process technology, Petrobras is positioned to deliver low-carbon energy solutions leveraging abundant agricultural byproducts to create fuel, helping meet global demand.”

With SAF demand projected to grow significantly, refiners are already turning to replicable and reliable technology solutions, ready to accelerate production and support the aviation sector’s increasing commitments to lower-carbon operations. By leveraging ethanol from Brazil—recognized as one of the world’s most efficient biofuel industries—the proposed REPLAN ETJ facility is expected to help domestic and international airlines cut lifecycle emissions and broaden access to renewable jet fuel. The initiative reinforces Brazil’s position as a future leader in SAF production.

“Brazil has the scale, feedstock and technology partners needed to become a global powerhouse in sustainable aviation fuel,” said José Fernandes, president of Honeywell Latin America. “This project is a major milestone for the region and demonstrates how strategic collaboration can accelerate Brazil’s role in the energy transition.”

Petrobras and Honeywell share a long standing relationship spanning refining technology, natural gas processing, and advanced automation systems, including the deployment of Honeywell’s Experion PKS across Petrobras facilities. In recent years, the collaboration has expanded into renewable fuels, including Petrobras’s 2024 decision to license Honeywell UOP HEFA process technology to produce SAF and renewable diesel at the Presidente Bernardes Refinery (RPBC) in Cubatão, using feedstocks such as soybean oil and beef tallow.