Honeywell plans to focus on driving energy independence by ensuring that existing refineries and plants operate at peak efficiency, Ranjit Kulkarni, vice-president and general manager – Honeywell Process Technology, India, told ETEnergyWorld on the sidelines of India Energy Week in Goa on Friday.
At the centre of Honeywell’s showcase was a broad biofuels portfolio spanning biogas, ethanol-based fuels and advanced sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Kulkarni said India’s large agricultural base offers abundant feedstock, including wood chips and forest residue, which can be converted into high-value energy products.
“Anything that India has an abundance of and is agriculture based, we can convert into biofuels,” Kulkarni stated, emphasising that these solutions are ready to power planes, marine vessels, and road transport.
To ensure these new energy sources reach their maximum potential, the company is integrating cutting-edge digital tools. It showcased how autonomous operations and artificial intelligence are being used to unlock unprecedented productivity gains, transforming the energy sector into a tech-driven powerhouse.
In an alliance with Engineers India Ltd, Honeywell agreed to take an indigenous Indian technology to the global stage, licensing it internationally. This move reflected a shift in the company’s strategy toward deep collaboration and local investment.
On the fuels front, the company announced a significant agreement with TruAlt Bioenergy to establish one of India’s first dedicated grassroots SAF facilities. Utilizing Honeywell’s Ethanol-to-Jet process, the project aims to produce 80,000 tonnes per annum of sustainable fuel, directly connecting Indian farmers to the global aviation decarbonisation agenda.
“This agreement marks another milestone in Honeywell’s journey to help India build self-reliance in sustainable fuel production,” said Kulkarni.
Furthering its leadership in the aviation sector, Honeywell also announced a collaboration with SAF One and Tata Projects. He said that this partnership will utilise the Honeywell UOP Ecofining process to convert waste oils, such as used cooking oil, into SAF. The project aims to create a scalable model for renewable fuel production at scale.
