LanzaTech and Tadweer explore transforming solid waste into SAF

LanzaTech Global and Tadweer (Abu Dhabi Waste Management Company) have joined forces to initiate an integrated Waste-to-Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) feasibility study to scale production from municipal and commercial solid waste.
This is the first major project in LanzaTech and Tadweer’s partnership and forecasts that up to 350,000 tonnes of hard-to-recycle municipal and commercial solid waste per year can be transformed into 200,000 tonnes of ethanol per year.
Ali Al Dhaheri, managing director and CEO of Tadweer, said: “The waste management industry has the potential to reduce almost 1.8 gigatonnes of emitted CO2 per year, an indicator of its critical role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“We look forward to working closely with LanzaTech on developing a waste-to-SAF solution, which strengthens our efforts to implement a sustainable waste management system in the Emirate. This builds on our vision of becoming an international model for a circular economy.”
Jennifer Holmgren, chief executive officer of LanzaTech, commented: “Recycling municipal solid waste, rather than letting it pile up in landfills, offers incredible potential to produce sustainable aviation fuel at scale and reduce air travel’s carbon footprint. This solution creates an alternative, lower carbon supply chain. With LanzaTech’s technology in Tadweer’s facilities, this project is an opportunity to address the climate crisis on two fronts simultaneously and keep virgin fossil fuels in the ground.”
The facility will work by transforming solid waste streams into a synthesis gas consisting of CO, CO2 and H2, via a gasification unit licensed by sustainable technology solutions provider NextChem, part of MAIRE Group.
The gas stream is then transformed by LanzaTech’s microbe-powered bioreactor into CarbonSmart™ ethanol. The ethanol will then be converted to SAF by LanzaJet, a separate company spun-out of LanzaTech, focused on commercializing SAF.