Waste to SAF
Waste to SAF is a sustainable aviation fuel pathway that converts municipal solid waste into synthesis gas and then into aviation fuel through Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.
This pathway uses non-recyclable household and commercial waste as a carbon source for producing synthetic hydrocarbons that can be upgraded into sustainable aviation fuel and other renewable fuels.
Altalto is one of the leading waste to SAF projects developed around this pathway.
Project at a glance
- Pathway: waste to SAF
- Feedstock: municipal solid waste
- Conversion route: gasification → syngas → Fischer-Tropsch synthesis
- Products: sustainable aviation fuel and naphtha fractions
- Region: Immingham
- Project focus: large-scale municipal waste conversion for aviation fuel production
What is waste to SAF?
Waste to SAF begins by converting non-recyclable waste into synthesis gas, which is then processed into synthetic hydrocarbons suitable for aviation fuel production.
The process typically includes:
- Waste preparation and sorting
- Gasification into synthesis gas
- Gas cleaning
- Fischer-Tropsch synthesis
- Hydrocarbon upgrading into aviation fuel fractions
This creates a pathway from waste carbon to approved aviation fuel blending components.
What feedstocks are used in waste to SAF?
Waste to SAF projects typically use municipal solid waste that cannot be economically recycled.
This may include:
- household residual waste
- commercial waste streams
- non-recyclable packaging
Using these materials allows carbon already present in waste systems to enter fuel production rather than disposal pathways.
Why is waste attractive for sustainable aviation fuel production?
Municipal waste offers a large, continuously generated feedstock stream in many regions.
Advantages include:
- stable urban feedstock availability
- reduced landfill dependence
- integration with waste management systems
Because waste volumes are continuous, projects can align fuel production with long-term municipal supply contracts.
How does waste become aviation fuel?
Waste is first converted into synthesis gas through gasification before fuel synthesis begins.
The pathway includes:
Gasification
Solid waste is converted into hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis
Syngas becomes synthetic hydrocarbons.
Product upgrading
Hydrocarbons are refined into aviation fuel fractions.
The resulting aviation blending component is Fischer-Tropsch Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (FT-SPK).
See:
What is Altalto?
Altalto is a waste to SAF project designed to convert municipal solid waste into sustainable aviation fuel at commercial scale in the United Kingdom.
The project demonstrates how urban waste streams can support aviation fuel production using syngas generation and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.
Altalto has also served as an important engineering reference point for waste-based SAF deployment.
See: altalto.com
Why is Altalto significant?
Altalto is significant because it combines waste management and aviation fuel production within one industrial pathway.
The project illustrates:
- waste-derived carbon utilization
- commercial-scale SAF engineering
- integration with UK aviation fuel goals
This makes it one of the most visible waste-based SAF developments in Europe.
How is Altalto different from other SAF projects?
Altalto uses municipal solid waste rather than oils, fats, biomass, or biogas.
Compared with other pathways:
- NovaSAF 1 uses renewable biogas
- biomass projects use woody feedstocks
- HEFA projects use lipid feedstocks
As a second-generation FT pathway, Altalto shows how urban waste can serve as the carbon source for aviation fuel.
What role does Fischer-Tropsch play in Altalto?
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is the step that converts cleaned synthesis gas into liquid hydrocarbons.
This hydrocarbon synthesis stage creates the synthetic fuel intermediates that are later upgraded into SAF.
Velocys’ earlier GTL deployment at Envia [link to Gas to liquids plant page] demonstrated modular Fischer-Tropsch operation under commercial conditions, providing operating experience that informs later SAF pathways.
Why does waste to SAF matter for SAF scaling?
Waste provides an additional feedstock route that does not depend on agricultural oils or dedicated biomass supply.
This matters because long-term SAF scaling will likely require multiple feedstock pathways operating together. These pathways are often referred to as second-generation SAF, or 2-G SAF, pathways.
The bottom line? Waste as a feedstock expands flexibility.
Frequently asked questions
Can household waste really become aviation fuel?
Yes. Non-recyclable waste can be gasified into synthesis gas and converted into hydrocarbons.
Does waste to SAF use Fischer-Tropsch synthesis?
Yes. Fischer-Tropsch is the hydrocarbon synthesis step in syngas-based waste pathways.
Is waste to SAF different from incineration?
Yes. Waste is chemically converted into fuel molecules rather than burned directly for energy.