ECARU, Qalaa Holdings, Axensto team up for biofuel, SAF production

24 / 07 / 2023

By Marwa Nassar - -

Egyptian Company for Solid Waste Recycling (ECARU), Qalaa Holdings and Axensto signed a cooperation protocol to conduct technical and economic studies for a project of second-generation biofuel (advanced bioethanol) and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production.

This falls within the framework of their strategy to provide practical solutions for cleaner energy.

This partnership brings together Qalaa Holdings which is a leader in energy and infrastructure investments and exerts all efforts to produce cleaner energy and alternative fuels, ECARU which is already producing a number of products from agricultural waste, such as high-quality organic fertilizers and alternative solid fuel for cement factories (BDF), and Axens which is a French licensing company that licenses various processes in the field of renewable/low carbon fuels.

The project will be carried out in two phases, the first of which will be the production of advanced bioethanol while the second will be the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The project’s studies will take about seven months, noting that the company aims to export its production of second-generation biofuel, in line with Egypt’s strategy to maximize the use of various waste types and contribute to sustainability and waste recycling, thereby fostering economic growth.

Dr. Ahmed Heikal, Chairman and Founder of Qalaa Holdings, said “We are so proud to launch this cooperation with Axens for the production of second-generation biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass to promote global environmental sustainability, within the framework of our commitment to establishing high value-added export-oriented projects”.

Heikal added, “Qalaa is significantly increasing its investments in Egypt through the companies in which it invests by implementing high-value-added export-oriented projects. The timing now is ripe for such projects.”

Dr. Hesham Sherif, Chairman and Managing Director of ECARU, commented “ECARU is looking forward to starting the financial and technical study of the project, and actual production within three years, over two phases. The first phase shall involve the production of advanced bioethanol, while the second phase shall concern the production of sustainable aviation fuel. Such production is export-orientated to meet the growing needs of the global market.”