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The 3,200-barrel-per-day wood-waste-to-SAF facility, set for FID in 2028 and startup in 2031, will require extensive pressure vessels, heat exchangers, and reactors—all specifying clad materials for corrosive service.
Canada – July 23, 2026
Topsoe and Sasol have signed a single-point licensing agreement with SUSTAERO GP Inc. to supply process technologies for a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility in Canada. The project will convert abundantly available wood waste into SAF at a planned capacity of 3,200 barrels per day, with expansion potential of up to three times the initial capacity.
SUSTAERO expects to take final investment decision in 2028, with operations anticipated to begin in 2031.
Under the agreement, Topsoe and Sasol will provide their G2L™ gas-to-liquids technology, integrating Topsoe's hydrogen production, gas reforming, and hydroprocessing solutions with Sasol's Fischer-Tropsch and treatment technologies.
The G2L™ e-fuels process is an end-to-end Single Point Licensing solution enabling the conversion of renewable feedstocks like gasified biomass or captured CO₂ and hydrogen into e-fuels. The SUSTAERO project employs the company's SOAR™ (Syngas Optimization for Aviation Renewables) architecture, which is augmented and de-risked by integrating Topsoe and Sasol's G2L technologies.
Yassir Ghiyati, Chief Commercial Officer at Topsoe, said: "We are proud to partner with SUSTAERO on this important project and to provide the technologies needed to help bring it to life. Sustainable aviation fuel will play a critical role in supporting aviation's transition to lower-emission fuels, and projects like this demonstrate how proven technologies and strong collaboration can accelerate the commercialization of renewable fuels at scale."
Sarushen Pillay, Executive Vice President for Business Building, Strategy and Technology at Sasol, said: "We're proud that SUSTAERO has selected Sasol for its biomass to liquids facility, and we look forward to deliver an integrated FT solution that de-risks the project, drives superior product yields and strengthens overall bankability. Sasol's Fischer-Tropsch technology is a proven, world-leading energy solution renowned for its reliability, scalability and performance."
Keith Gillard, CEO of SUSTAERO, said: "We're honoured to be working with both Topsoe and Sasol, both long-established pioneers who continue to be the vanguard of gas to liquid manufacturing. Our Syngas Optimization for Aviation Renewables (SOAR™) architecture is augmented and de-risked by integrating their G2L technologies. With this partnership, SUSTAERO will play a leadership role in aviation's evolution to low-carbon fuels made from secure and sustainable feedstocks."
The agreement addresses the growing global demand for SAF. According to The International Air Transport Association (IATA), SAF production is expected to reach 1.9 million tons in 2026, double the 1 million tons produced in 2024. This is, however, only 0.6% of total global jet fuel production. To stay on track for net zero by 2050, the International Energy Agency's Net Zero Scenario suggests that over 10% of fuel consumption in aviation needs to be SAF by 2030.
SAF production facilities such as the SUSTAERO project require extensive process equipment across four key unit operations—each presenting opportunities for clad plate suppliers.
Biomass Gasification: The gasifier vessel and downstream quench systems must withstand high-temperature corrosion from alkalis, chlorides, and tars. Inconel 625 or 825 clad plates on carbon steel backing are commonly specified for the upper sections of gasifiers where temperatures are highest.
Syngas Cleaning and Conditioning: The gas cooling, scrubbing, and amine treatment units involve heat exchangers and separators. Clad tube sheets with stainless steel 316L or 304L cladding are typical in these exchangers, where process temperatures range from 200-400°C and chlorides can cause stress corrosion cracking.
Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis: The FT reactor—where syngas is converted to liquid hydrocarbons—operates at 200-350°C and 20-40 bars. Clad tube sheets with precision-drilled holes and strict flatness tolerances are essential for tube bundle support and sealing. Clad dish heads and baffle plates are also used in the reactor loop's separators and knockout drums.
Hydroprocessing: The FT product is upgraded to finished SAF via hydrotreating and hydrocracking at 300-450°C under high hydrogen partial pressures. Clad plates with SA516 Gr.70 backing and Inconel 625 or 825 cladding are routinely specified for hydroprocessing reactors.
Common material combinations for such applications include SA516 Gr.70 with 316L stainless steel for general process equipment, and SA516 with Inconel 625 or 825 for elevated temperature zones where chloride stress corrosion is a concern. Specifications typically require compliance with ASME SA-264 (stainless steel clad), ASME SA-265 (nickel alloy clad), and NACE MR0175 for sour service applications.
The SUSTAERO project is currently in the development phase. SUSTAERO expects to take final investment decision in 2028, with operations anticipated to begin in 2031. The project has expansion potential of up to three times its initial capacity.
Fugo Tech is a manufacturer of clad plates and machined components for pressure vessels and heat exchangers. Core products include clad tube sheets, clad dish heads, and baffle plates. Complementary materials cover titanium, nickel alloy, and stainless steel. ISO 9001 and PED certified. www.fugo-tech.com | sales@fugo-tech.com.
Fugo Tech is focused on the manufacturing of clad metal plate and distributes the Stainless Steel, Titanium, Nickel Alloy, Zirconium and other non-ferrous metal pipes, fittings, and flanges.
