Sulzer and Avalon Energy Group have announced a strategic alliance to accelerate the global production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), with Avalon selecting Sulzer's BioFlux™ technology.
In a significant move set to accelerate the global transition to sustainable aviation, Avalon Energy Group LLC, a U.S.-based developer of integrated sustainable energy projects, and Sulzer Chemtech, a global leader in separation and mixing technology, today announced a strategic alliance aimed at scaling up the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). This landmark partnership will see Avalon deploy Sulzer’s advanced BioFlux™ technology across its portfolio of SAF projects worldwide, commencing with a pioneering biorefinery in Uruguay.
The agreement solidifies Avalon's commitment to decarbonizing the aviation industry by leveraging Sulzer's proven expertise in process solutions. Under the terms of the Strategic Alliance and Partnership Agreement, Avalon has secured the global right to deploy BioFlux technology in SAF plants across key regions, including Latin America, India, South Africa, Kenya, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), and the United States. This exclusive cooperation agreement, under which Sulzer globally licenses the BioFlux technology from Duke Technologies LLC, positions both companies at the forefront of the burgeoning sustainable energy sector.
The inaugural project under this alliance will be Avalon’s flagship biorefinery in Uruguay. This facility is envisioned as a fully integrated operation, encompassing everything from the cultivation of dedicated non-edible oilseed crops to the final production of low-carbon SAF. Crucially, the project will utilize oil extracted from Camelina sativa, a non-edible crop, as its primary feedstock. This strategic choice underscores a commitment to establishing a secure and sustainable supply chain that explicitly avoids any impact on global food resources, a critical consideration in the development of biofuel technologies.
Irshad Ahmed, President & CEO of Avalon Energy Group, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “This strategic alliance with Sulzer is a major step forward in our mission to decarbonize the aviation industry. Sulzer’s BioFlux™ technology is a best-in-class, proven solution that will enable us to produce SAF efficiently and cost-effectively. Our Uruguay project will be the first of many, serving as a model for how to build a vertically integrated, sustainable, and scalable platform for SAF production. We are thrilled to partner with a world-class technology provider like Sulzer to bring our vision to life and meet the growing global demand for clean aviation fuel.”
Avalon is already actively developing a robust pipeline of similar SAF projects in other strategic locations, including India, Eswatini, and Illinois, USA. The collaboration with Sulzer provides a standardized, state-of-the-art technological framework that is expected to significantly accelerate the development and deployment of these crucial facilities. This standardized approach will ensure consistency in production efficiency and environmental performance across Avalon's global footprint.
