A significant step for the future: Slovnaft has produced biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel

Slovnaft Produces HVO Biodiesel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel SAF

Slovnaft, a member of MOL Group, has produced diesel containing hydrotreated vegetable oil at its refinery in Bratislava (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil – HVO) and sustainable aviation fuel (Sustainable Aviation Fuel – SAF). The quality of the products was verified by radioisotope analysis carried out by the independent institute ISOTOPTECH ZRT. Slovnaft has thus confirmed its technological readiness to produce alternative fuels, which is part of MOL Group's long-term Shape tomorrow strategy.

Slovnaft produced plant-based HVO biodiesel, also referred to abroad as renewable diesel, at the end of last year. “We carried out the production test on a production unit that is also used to produce conventional diesel. We produced the product using co-processing, processing fossil and biological  feedstocks simultaneously. We used cashew nut shell oil as the bio-based feedstock,” explains Róbert Hurný, Director of Downstream Development. The presence of a biodiesel component in the diesel was confirmed by radioisotope analysis at the Hungarian laboratory ISOTOPTECH ZRT.

In the production test, the company successfully produced diesel containing HVO biodiesel by combining the bio-based feedstock with the fossil component directly during production. Both components were processed simultaneously in the production equipment. The result is a fuel containing two components in the required ratio, namely biodiesel and conventional fossil diesel.

Production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel SAF from Used Cooking Oil

The Slovnaft refinery also carried out another production test in which it produced sustainable aviation fuel. In this case, the feedstock was used, partially refined cooking oil. Sustainable aviation fuel – SAF was also produced at Slovnaft through co-processing on a production unit used to produce standard aviation kerosene. “The test can also be considered successful in the case of SAF production. The good news is that we can produce it on our existing production unit,” said Róbert Hurný.

The refinery spent approximately a year preparing for the production tests. “During the tests, our primary task was to monitor how our production equipment responded to this process. The second part involved analysing the quality of the resulting product,” added Róbert Hurný. By successfully completing the production tests, Slovnaft demonstrated that it is technologically ready to produce both plant-based biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel.

Slovnaft as a Regional Leader in SAF Production and EU Environmental Goals

“The fact that Slovnaft passed this test confirms our position as an important player in the Central and Eastern European region. The expertise in chemical production that we have acquired throughout the company's long history must be preserved and developed in line with the direction in which society is moving and the future we want to create,” said Gabriel Szabó, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Slovnaft and Executive Vice President for Downstream at MOL Group.

The production of these types of fuels responds to legislative trends and future developments. At present, very few refineries worldwide produce SAF. Slovnaft has thus become one of the first refineries capable of producing aviation fuel that meets the quality requirements set for SAF. In connection with the EU's environmental goals, SAF is to account for 2 % of total aviation fuel consumption from this year, with this percentage gradually increasing each year. By 2030, the share of SAF is to rise to 6 %, by 2035 to 20 % and by 2050 to as much as 70 %. These requirements will apply to all flights originating in the EU, regardless of destination. Slovnaft, as well as MOL Group, also collaborates on SAF aviation fuel testing with the Faculty of Aeronautics at the Technical University of Košice.