In the first of our three-part SAF Specials, The Fuel for Thought Podcast Season 7 opens with Patrick Edmond, Chief Marketing Officer at Future Energy Global. We discuss the market realities holding SAF back, the potential of demand aggregation to unlock supply and the role of policy, finance and communication in accelerating adoption. From contrails to hydrogen, Patrick offers a clear-eyed view of aviation’s decarbonization pathway and the bold steps needed to stay on track for 2050.

Let’s continue our exploration of the maritime industry’s journey toward decarbonization. In this episode, we’ll investigate how innovative engine technologies can clear the waters for sustainable shipping. We welcome two experts from MAN Energy Solutions: Agustina Ramirez, a Process Engineer specializing in Energy Solutions and Shipping Decarbonization, and Nikolaos Kourtidis, a Senior Advisor in New Technologies and Dual Fuel Engines. They will share the latest advancements in dual-fuel engines. Operating on both traditional fuels and alternative fuels, such as ammonia and methanol, dual-fuel engines offer the industry a crucial fuel flexibility for navigating the energy transition.

The maritime sector has set sail to embark on its energy transition. But who are the stakeholders involved and how will they navigate the waters ahead? If you’re curious to learn those details (and the complexities that comes with it), then this episode is worth your ear time. Get onboard as we set out to demystify the world of shipping through a better understanding of its stakeholders, regulatory landscape, and the path ahead. Join Sylvain and Mikala as they welcome Femke Spiegelenberg from the Global Maritime Forum and Topsoe’s own Asmara Klein, Public Affairs Specialist. 

For more than a century, gasification technology has been used to convert coal into fuel. However, the technology is now pivoting towards the production of renewable fuels, converting renewable feedstocks like solid waste and biomass into pure decarbonization potential. But what should refiners consider before diving head-first into a gasification project? That’s what Sylvain and Mikala set out to explore through an in-depth look at the technology’s evolution, challenges, and prospects. They’re joined by Pauli Baumann, Global Director at Hatch, and Johan Malan, Head of Licensing, North America for Topsoe, so get ready for 360 a discussion on gasification! 

Southeast Asia’s 700 million people contribute to 4% of global energy usage. Today, a large part of this energy comes from coal, but the region is making significant strides towards renewable energy sources and increasing its renewable fuels production. In this episode, we explore what’s needed to scale up the deployment of new technologies for Southeast Asia's energy transition. Joining us are Nicholas Ong and Edmund Siau from GenZero, an investment platform company that aims to accelerate decarbonization globally and is actively engaged in projects supporting the energy transition in Southeast Asia.

Intermediate crops are worth our attention! With their recognition as a sustainable feedstock for renewable fuels by the EU’s Annex 9 in RED II, they have the potential to mitigate some of our feedstock supply issues. This episode is dedicated to a deep dive into their technical details. Sylvain and Mikala are joined by Saipol, an oilseeds processing company, and part of the Avril Group. Specifically, we have Bastien Le Bouhellec, Head of Biodiesel Trading Desk, and Guillaume de la Forest, Analyst of Supply & Demand Oilseed Markets and Intercrop Sourcing Project Manager for Aviation Biofuels. Don’t miss this opportunity to feed your thoughts with new seeds!

What has happened in the past year within the world of renewable fuels? If you’re looking for the ultimate update on that, this episode is a must-listen! Topsoe’s own Product Line Directors, Milica Folic and Sandra Winter-Madsen, join Mikala and Sylvain to take the temperature on the 2024 realities of renewable fuels and the energy transition in general. They explore how the supply of various renewable fuel types has developed over the past year and how different regions across the world are progressing in their adoption of them. They also cover the current regulatory landscape (which never stands still!) and conclude the episode by unveiling their predictions for the year ahead: 2025.

Allow us to introduce the fastest pathway to begin your sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production: co-processing. Co-processing renewable and fossil feedstock in your existing unit, enables you to kickstart SAF production without major revamps or large investments. Our own experience with co-processing dates back to 2004, so for this SAF Special we’ve called on the assistance of our own Ranoo Pathak, Senior Technical Service Engineer, and Ignacio Fabian Costa, Licensing Manager, to tackle the key questions refineries might be facing. With the expected growth in demand for SAF, it's time to scale up production!

For the first time ever, we dedicate an entire SAF Special to exploring the financial aspects of getting sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) projects off the ground. What are the challenges and opportunities in financing SAF projects? And what are the best strategies for reaching final investment decision (FID)? Sylvain and Mikala delve into these questions (and many more!) with the assistance of IFC – International Finance Corporation. They’ll talk to IFC’s Ladan Pazhouhandeh, Senior Investment Officer and Kelly H. Johnson, Global Sector Lead in Chemicals and Fertilizers, and Topsoe’s own Lucas Bossard, Head of Public-Private Partnerships. 

Get ready for a much-needed deep dive into the science and chemistry of jet fuels to understand their impact! Since airplanes contribute to global warming through emissions of CO2 and soot particles from their jet fuel combustion, our understanding of jet fuel is crucial for our efforts to decarbonize aviation. Sylvain is joined by Patrick LeClercq, Head of Department Multiphase Flows and Alternative Fuels, at German Aerospace Center (DLR) to delve into the composition and combustion of jet fuel and explore how sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) with lower aromatic content help reduce emissions from air travel.