Universal Fuel Technologies Validates Pathway to 100% Synthetic Drop-In SAF
Independent testing confirms HEFA byproducts can be converted into aromatic components, enabling fully synthetic jet fuel production
As the aviation industry works to scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) without modifying existing aircraft or infrastructure, Universal Fuel Technologies (Unifuel) has demonstrated a potential pathway to 100% synthetic drop-in fuel.
Independent testing conducted by Washington State University found that Unifuel’s Flexiforming technology can convert HEFA-derived naphtha into synthetic aromatic kerosene. When blended with paraffinic SAF, the resulting fuel meets key jet fuel performance standards, addressing a long-standing limitation in SAF production.
The testing evaluated a blend of 16% Flexiforming-produced aromatic SAF and 84% HEFA-derived paraffinic SAF. Results showed performance comparable to conventional jet fuel across critical parameters, including density, viscosity, freeze point, and flash point.
The findings mark a significant step forward for HEFA, currently the most widely used SAF pathway, which produces only paraffinic components. Conventional jet fuel contains 8% to 25% aromatics, which are essential for aircraft engine and fuel system performance. As a result, today’s SAF must be blended with fossil jet fuel to meet specification requirements.
“This validation confirms a practical solution that enables HEFA producers to maximize yields while creating a fully synthetic jet fuel that performs like conventional fuel,” said Alexei Beltyukov, CEO of Universal Fuel Technologies. “By upgrading naphtha byproducts that are often undervalued, we improve both the economics of SAF production and the pathway to eliminating fossil blending.”
HEFA naphtha can account for up to 20% of output and has traditionally been considered a low-value byproduct. Flexiforming enables producers to convert that material into aromatic components required for drop-in fuel compatibility.
Washington State University conducted the evaluation as part of ASTM-authorized screening under the D4054 process. According to Dr. Joshua Heyne, director of the Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Laboratory, the blended fuel met all required screening-stage performance parameters for jet fuel.
The approach is not limited to HEFA. Unifuel said its Flexiforming process can also be applied to Fischer-Tropsch and other pathways that generate naphtha, offering a bolt-on solution that integrates with existing infrastructure and avoids the need for external aromatic blending.
The results support broader industry efforts to develop fully synthetic jet fuels that can replace conventional kerosene without operational changes, reducing reliance on fossil fuels while maintaining performance standards.
Unifuel is also advancing its ethanol-to-jet (ETJ) technology through ASTM qualification. In 2025, the company’s ETJ SAF pathway was accepted into the ASTM D4054 Clearinghouse, marking progress toward commercial approval.