Comstock, Gresham Eastern to develop SAF facility in Pakistan
US-based decarbonisation commercial technology company Comstock announced that Comstock Fuels Corporation has signed an agreement with Pakistan’s Gresham Eastern to deploy its lignocellulosic biomass refining technologies to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other renewable fuels in Pakistan.
“This partnership exemplifies Gresham’s commitment to deploying both quality systems and cutting-edge technologies for truly sustainable energy solutions in Pakistan. We are on the doorstep of a globally significant opportunity where our combined competencies can create wealth for nations and communities alike,” said Mian Suhall Husain, CEO, Gresham.
Under the agreement, the two companies will develop an initial demonstration facility in Lahore, Pakistan, capable of processing 75,000 metric tons of biomass annually.
The facility will serve as a test-bed for scaling up to a 1,000,000 metric tons per year commercial site.
Gresham plans to utilise locally-available agricultural and forestry residuals, as well as sustainably grown energy crops.
Under the agreement, Gresham’s will lead the development, financing, construction, and management of renewable fuel production facilities based on Comstock Fuels’ proprietary Bioleum refining technologies.
Each Bioleum Refinery will operate under a site-specific license agreement to ensure compliance with Comstock Fuels’ performance and quality standards.
Comstock Fuels will contribute site specific technology rights in exchange for a 20% equity stake in each Bioleum Refinery, plus a royalty fee equal to 6% of each refinery’s sales of licensed products, and engineering fees equal to 6% of total capital and construction costs.
The technology, with the inclusion of cellulosic ethanol production, from Comstock aims to utilise domestic ethanol which is currently exported.
The two firms estimate country’s agricultural residue biomass to be over 100m metric tonnes per annum adequate to yield around 14bn gallons of renewable fuels per year.
The announcement comes just weeks after the International Finance Corporation (IFC) announced a $35m in equity and debt financing to SAFCO Venture Holdings Limited (SAFCO Ventures) to establish Pakistan’s first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) facility in Sheikhupura.
The new 200,000-ton-per-annum facility in Sheikhupura, Punjab, will process 250,000 tons of feedstock.