• JM/bp’s FT CANS™ and Honeywell UOP’s FT Unicracking™ technologies will help produce SAF from abundantly available forest thinnings, addressing feedstock availability challenges
• USA BioEnergy’s facility is expected to produce 65 million gallons of responsibly sourced biobased fuels per year once fully operational in 2030
London, UK, Sept. 10, 2025 – USA BioEnergy today announced it has selected Johnson Matthey (JM) and Honeywell to provide their industry-leading process technologies to USA BioEnergy to produce synthetic paraffinic kerosene (SPK) at its Bon Wier, Texas biorefinery.
JM/bp’s award-winning FT CANS technology and Honeywell UOP’s FT Unicracking process technology, which both use the Fischer Tropsch pathway, will be deployed to produce SPK that complies with strict aviation industry standards once blended with conventional jet fuel.
Once operational, the Bon Wier plant is expected to convert one million tons of biomass annually — using responsibly sourced forest thinnings as feedstock — into 65 million gallons of transportation fuels, including SAF.
At the facility, USA BioEnergy will also implement Honeywell’s Experion® PKS Distributed Control System (DCS) and safety system to ensure optimal performance, reliability and safety.
Tony Wedell, COO of USA BioEnergy, said: “We are excited to add two of the world’s leading technology providers to our team. We are creating the best fully integrated solution in the advanced fuels industry.”
Nick Andrews, CEO of USA BioEnergy, said: “By utilizing forest thinnings for bioenergy production with carbon capture and sequestration technologies, our integration with Johnson Matthey and Honeywell will help us create this fully integrated, alternative fuels solution.”
Alberto Giovanzana, Managing Director Licensing at Johnson Matthey, said: “This project is another great example of FT CANS being deployed at scale to support the decarbonisation of air travel. It builds on our existing pipeline in the USA, showing continued support for projects that contribute to domestic energy security, fuel security, and jobs.”
Rajesh Gattupalli, president of Honeywell UOP, said: “Honeywell is committed to addressing feedstock availability challenges in SAF production and scale by pioneering technologies that expand feedstock options. Through our collaboration with USA BioEnergy, this project is another great example of the important role alternative fuels play in supporting America’s energy security.”
The collaboration on the Bon Wier biorefinery builds on several recent advancements in SAF achieved by each of the companies, including:
- USA BioEnergy entered into a 20-year offtake agreement with Southwest Airlines for the purchase of up to 680 million gallons of SPK. If blended with fossil jet fuel to meet international standards, this quantity could yield 2.59 billion gallons of SAF[1], helping to meet International Air Transport Association (IATA) emission goals to achieve net zero by 2050.
- JM and Honeywell were recently selected by DG Fuels for a new SAF manufacturing plant in Minnesota, USA. DG Fuels’ Minnesota project also plans to use JM/bp’s FT CANS technology and Honeywell UOP’s FT Unicracking process technology. In addition, DG Fuels has licenced JM’s HyCOgen™ reverse water gas shift technology for the Minnesota project. For JM, these projects represent the 10th and 11th large-scale wins in its Catalyst Technologies’ portfolio since the start of financial year 24/25.
Honeywell’s recent announcement of its intention to acquire Johnson Matthey’s Catalyst Technologies business segment is wholly distinct from the agreement referenced in this press release. Discussions regarding the agreement were part of ordinary course discussions between Honeywell and Johnson Matthey’s Catalyst Technologies business segment.
ENDS
[1] https://usabioenergy.com/southwest-airlines-offtake-agreement/
About USA BioEnergy:
USA BioEnergy is a renewable fuels development and integration group headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, with a project pipeline across the southern U.S.
USA BioEnergy is developing sustainable aviation fuel, renewable diesel, and renewable naphtha using forest thinnings as feedstock. The Bon Wier, Texas facility uses bioenergy production technologies with carbon capture and sequestration (BECCS[1]). This process generates energy with net-negative carbon
[1] Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) is a climate mitigation technology that produces energy from biomass while capturing and permanently storing the resulting CO₂ emissions. This process can result in net-negative emissions, meaning it can remove more CO₂ from the atmosphere than it emits. Verified methodologies now allow BECCS projects to generate saleable carbon credits equivalent to the amount of CO₂ sequestered. For more information contact USA BioEnergy.
capture and sequestration (BECCS[1]). This process generates energy with net-negative carbon emissions that power the biorefinery and results in carbon credits based on the amount of CO2 sequestered.
USA BioEnergy aims to lead the energy transition by developing a series of 12 advanced biorefineries consecutively.
USA BioEnergy will capture and sequester over 50 million tons of CO2 over the useful life of each advanced biorefinery. Achieving the targeted carbon capture will result in fuel with one of the lowest carbon intensity scores in the industry for direct replacement of fossil transport fuels.
All advanced biorefineries are being designed using bankable-proven technology from world-renowned providers in gasification, Fischer-Tropsch, and hydrocarbon upgrading. The company’s definitive purpose is to be the world’s leader in advanced biofuels. For more information about USA BioEnergy, email Solutions@USABioEnergy.com or visit www.USABioEnergy.com.
[1] Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) is a climate mitigation technology that produces energy from biomass while capturing and permanently storing the resulting CO₂ emissions. This process can result in net-negative emissions, meaning it can remove more CO₂ from the atmosphere than it emits. Verified methodologies now allow BECCS projects to generate saleable carbon credits equivalent to the amount of CO₂ sequestered. For more information contact USA BioEnergy.
About Johnson Matthey
Johnson Matthey is a global leader in sustainable technologies. For over 200 years we’ve used advanced metals chemistry to tackle the world’s biggest challenges.
Many of the world’s leading energy, chemicals and automotive companies depend on our technology and expertise to decarbonise, reduce harmful emissions, and improve their sustainability.
And now, as the world faces the challenges of climate change, energy supply and resource scarcity, we’re actively providing solutions for our customers. Through inspiring science and continued innovation, we’re catalysing the net zero transition for millions of people every day. For more information visit www.matthey.com.
About Honeywell:
Honeywell is an integrated operating company serving a broad range of industries and geographies around the world. Our business is aligned with three powerful megatrends – automation, the future of aviation and energy transition – underpinned by our Honeywell Accelerator operating system and Honeywell Forge IoT platform. As a trusted partner, we help organizations solve the world’s toughest, most complex challenges, providing actionable solutions and innovations through our Aerospace Technologies, Industrial Automation, Building Automation and Energy and Sustainability Solutions business segments that help make the world smarter, safer, more secure and sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom.
For media enquiries
Johnson Matthey:
Email: jmpr@matthey.com
Telephone: +44 207 269 8001
Honeywell:
Email: whitney.ellis@honeywell.com
Telephone: (704) 621-4354
USA BioEnergy:
Email: Solutions@USABioEnergy.com
Telephone: (602) 909-6677