Mikala Grubb, Topsoe: The 100th episode and tech behind a third of the world’s SAF

Date: 3 June 2026

For the 100th episode of The SAF Podcast, we’re joined by Mikala Grubb, Senior Vice President of Technologies, Topsoe — one of the world’s leading catalysis and technology companies, whose technology produces an estimated third of all the SAF available globally today.

We start with feedstocks — why the constraints on used cooking oil and animal fats are tightening, what a post-2030 feedstock crunch could look like, and which next-generation feedstock options (from intermediate crops and municipal solid waste to tire-derived feedstocks) are genuinely gaining traction versus those still some way from commercial reality.

We then turn to technology: how Topsoe’s HydroFlex HEFA technology became the commercial backbone of today’s SAF industry, the role co-processing can play as a pragmatic stepping stone, and why Mikala’s advice to developers facing ASTM certification delays is simple — start with renewable diesel and switch when certified. We also explore the ESAF pathway, the importance of the Topsoe-DLR-Sasol demonstration plant currently under construction, and why Topsoe is ready to sign full commercial-scale ESAF contracts today.

Throughout, a clear theme emerges: successful SAF projects are built on feedstock security, offtake certainty, the right partner ecosystem, and a willingness to be pragmatic. 

Happy 100th, The SAF Podcast. Thank you to all the guests we have had over the last 100 episodes and to everyone that has listened!