Unifuel’s Ethanol-to-jet accepted into ASTM D4054 Clearinghouse

In California, Universal Fuel Technologies’ (Unifuel) Ethanol-to-jet sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) produced via the company’s Flexiforming technology has been accepted into the ASTM D4054 Clearinghouse, which supports the technical evaluation of new aviation fuels, for qualification. This acceptance positions Unifuel among an exclusive group of companies advancing toward ASTM qualification, the essential gateway for new fuels to enter commercial aviation markets.

The ASTM D4054 evaluation process is the aviation industry’s framework for ensuring that new fuels can safely power aircraft engines. It includes multiple tiers of testing, data collection, and technical review by experts from leading aerospace companies. Acceptance into the D4054 Clearinghouse requires demonstrating, by independent testing, that a fuel is not only technically credible and can be produced at a meaningful scale, but also that it has met strict quality and safety criteria.

The acceptance follows a successful five-month pilot project where the company produced nearly 100 liters of sample material for four different SAF pathways under stable process conditions. The campaign focused on converting methanol and ethanol, and ethanol with paraffinic renewable naphtha made via Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA), into SAF. The samples then underwent comprehensive testing by Washington State University’s Bioproducts, Sciences, and Engineering Lab, the world-leading authority on SAF research.