en.Wedoany.com Reported - Egypt is set to build Africa's first commercial-scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant, with Qatari holding company Green Sky Capital (GSC) partnering with French technology group Axens to construct a 200,000-ton-per-year SAF production facility.
The project, scheduled to commence production by the end of 2027, will position Egypt as a pioneer in the African SAF market. The plant's output is expected to supply both domestic aviation demand and export markets in the Mediterranean and broader African region.
The project utilizes Axens' Vegan hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids technology to convert lipid feedstocks—including waste cooking oil, animal fats, tall oil, and vegetable oils—into SAF and hydroprocessed vegetable oil. In addition to core technology licensing, Axens will provide catalysts, adsorbents, operational support, and training. Locally sourced waste cooking oil is expected to form the backbone of the plant's feedstock strategy, linking the facility to Egypt's broader energy transition goals.
To optimize feedstock utilization and increase yield, GSC and Axens have also signed a broader memorandum of understanding. According to GSC CEO Ali Shaikh, joint work under the MoU has already improved SAF yield, achieving higher SAF output per ton of feedstock.
