CVR Energy explores the production of sustainable aviation fuel

China Petrochemical News Network reported on May 29, according to Hydrocarbon Processing News, according to three people familiar with the matter, US billionaire Carl Icahn’s CVR Energy Company is studying whether its refinery can produce sustainable aviation fuel.

Renewable fuels account for only a small part of road transportation fuels, but refiners are trying to find different types of raw materials to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

CVR, a commercial refiner, has announced plans to produce renewable fuels at the Wynnewood refinery in Oklahoma in the third quarter of this year, and said it is exploring the possibility of producing renewable diesel at the Coffeyville refinery in Kansas.

In the process of producing renewable diesel, some sustainable aviation fuel will be produced, but refiners need to reconfigure equipment to obtain higher output.

According to the International Energy Agency, in the next few years, air transport is unlikely to be electrified compared to passenger cars or other vehicles, and the agency said the industry will have to rely on low-emission fuels.

Icahn told Bloomberg News that he believes renewable fuels will continue to exist and supports subsidies as part of the infrastructure bill.

Advocates of sustainable aviation fuel say that the cost of sustainable aviation fuel is three to four times that of traditional aviation fuel, and it would not be economical without government support.

Zhu Jiani excerpted from Hydrocarbon Processing News

The original text is as follows:

CVR Energy explores producing sustainable aviation fuel

US billionaire Carl Icahn's CVR Energy Inc is exploring whether it can produce sustainable aviation fuel at its refineries, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

Renewable fuels account for just a fraction of the fuel for road transportation, but refiners are trying to source different types of feedstock to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

CVR, a merchant refiner, has already announced plans to produce renewable fuels at its Wynnewood, Oklahoma, refinery in the third quarter of this year and said it is exploring options to produce renewable diesel at its Coffeyville, Kansas refinery.

Some sustainable aviation fuel is created in the process of producing renewable diesel, but refiners would need to reconfigure their units to produce it at higher yields.

Airline transport is less likely than passenger cars or other vehicles to be electrified in coming years, according to the International Energy Agency, which said in a recent report that the sector will have to depend on lower-emission fuels.

Icahn told Bloomberg News that he believes renewable fuels are here to stay, and supports subsidies as part of an infrastructure bill.

Sustainable aviation fuel costs three or four times more than traditional jet fuel, making it uneconomical without government support, according to advocates of the fuel.