HIGFLY - HIGee to Furanic-based jet Fuel technologY

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The HIGFLY project aims to produce advanced renewable aviation fuels from sustainable biomass. The project focuses on converting the hitherto underutilised C5 saccharide fraction (hemicellulose) produced in biorefineries during the processing of lignocellulosic biomass. The hemicellulose must first be converted into hydrocarbons so that it can be blended into aviation fuels. The HIGFLY project is developing a combination of innovative and sustainable technologies for this conversion. The C5 feedstocks are converted into furfural and bio-oxygenates using novel HiGee reactor technologies, 3D-structured catalysts and sustainable deep eutectic solvents (DES). The intermediate products are then catalytically refined into the desired hydrocarbons.

Lignocellulosic biomass such as straw or wood is used. This makes it part of what is known as second-generation biomass. The focus is on raw material flexibility and synergies across the entire bioenergy sector. HIGFLY will gradually develop and demonstrate the following under industrially relevant conditions (at TRL3-4):

• Innovative, highly efficient and scalable reactor and separation technologies for the production of advanced biokerosene
• New and robust catalytic materials and sustainable solvents

ifeu contributes to the sustainability assessment in this project. Within the work package, the institute is responsible for assessing environmental and social compatibility. In addition, it provides iterative feedback to the process developers in the form of a preliminary integrated process design.

ifeu assesses the integration of HIGFLY technologies with waste streams from various biorefinery technologies, the sustainability of HIGFLY fuels, and the technical findings relating to their entire life cycle. It also examines the suitability of the fuels and their compliance with aviation sector standards.