Topsoe A/S, a Danish company based in Lyngby, has entered into an agreement with Zhongneng Yida to supply its HydroFlex technology and catalysts for producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The facility, located in Shijiazhuang’s Shenze Economic Development Zone in Hebei Province, China, will produce 400,000 tons of SAF annually using used cooking oil as feedstock. Once fully operational, the plant is projected to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 930,000 tons of CO2 equivalent each year, comparable to avoiding emissions from 2.6 million passengers flying from Beijing to Copenhagen.

The collaboration aims to support the aviation industry’s shift toward sustainable practices. “This collaboration with Zhongneng Yida reflects our mutual commitment to supporting the aviation industry’s ambitions to move towards net zero,” said Elena Scaltritti, Chief Commercial Officer at Topsoe. “The project will add further momentum to the supply of SAF across Europe and China, and we’re looking forward to working with Zhongneng Yida on this transition.” The initiative aligns with global efforts to promote cleaner energy solutions and enhance the availability of eco-friendly aviation fuel.

Yin Feng, President of Zhongneng Yida, highlighted the project’s significance: “The 400,000 tons/year SAF unit project is located in Shenze Economic and Economic Development Zone. Shenze’s policy advantages, location advantages, and environmental advantages are increasingly prominent. Driven by the global ‘carbon peak, carbon neutral’ background, bioenergy as a strategic fulcrum of national energy layout has become Shenze County’s future development of the leading industry. It is promoted by Zhongneng Yida New Energy Company and Denmark’s Topsoe A/S, and is expected to reach 5.5 billion CNY in annual sales revenue.”

Construction of the facility is set to begin in the third quarter of 2025, with operations expected to start in the first half of 2027. Initially, the SAF produced will be exported to Europe, with plans to also supply the Chinese market. This project builds on Topsoe’s recent partnerships, including agreements with Zhejiang Jianglan Bio-Energy Technology Co. Ltd in April 2025, Guangxi Free Trade Zone Chuangui Lingang New Energy Co., Ltd in January 2025, and Guangxi Free Trade Zone Hungkun Biomass Fuel Co., Ltd in April 2024, to provide similar technology for SAF production.