Latest news with #HEFA
Time of India
29-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Jamia VC, registrar meet education minister, highlight delays in development projects
NEW DELHI: Top officials of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) raised concerns over the "unsatisfactory" pace of development projects funded by the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) during a meeting with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan . JMI Vice Chancellor Mazhar Asif, Registrar Mahtab Alam Rizvi called on the education minister on Tuesday, a statement by the varsity said. They discussed ways to "strengthen academic collaboration and development", it said. "The VC and registrar, JMI, gave an overview of the progress of developmental projects under the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) and expressed concern over the unsatisfactory pace of progress on these projects," the statement said. The officials also apprised the minister of recent developments at JMI, including the launch of the postgraduate programme in dentistry, for which they conveyed gratitude for the ministry's support. The achievements of the university's Residential Coaching Academy (RCA), which consistently produces over 30 successful candidates annually for various civil services, were also shared. Looking ahead, the vice chancellor shared his vision of introducing new departments and a full-fledged medical college at JMI, the statement said. The Union minister welcomed the proposals and assured full support. Preparations for the university's upcoming convocation ceremony and the possibility of the minister visiting the campus were also discussed, it added. PTI Ready to empower your child for the AI era? Join our program now! Hurry, only a few seats left.
New Indian Express
12-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
NIT-Rourkela kick-starts infrastructure works for creation of capital assets
ROURKELA: In view of its growing campus strength, the National Institute of Technology-Rourkela (NIT-R) has initiated massive construction activities towards building infrastructure with the help of easy educational loan and corporate donations. In 2023, the institute had signed an MoU with the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) and secured loan support of Rs 165.81 crore under window-1 category. Subsequently, another MoU was signed towards securing Rs 33.16 crore loan from HEFA. HEFA is a joint venture company of Canara Bank and Ministry of Education (MoE) to provide financial assistance for creation of capital assets including educational infrastructure and R&D facilities in India's premier educational institutions. Sources said on basis of its annual earning capacity and loan repayment capability, NIT-R came under the window-1 category in which it has to only return the principal loan amount to HEFA while the MoE would pay the interest. NIT-R registrar Prof Rohan Dhiman said after obtaining necessary forest and urban local body clearances, work is going on in full swing on multiple infrastructure projects from March. Currently, a hostel block with a capacity to accommodate 1,000 boys, a 500-seat girls hostel and 72 faculty residences are being constructed. Similarly, work on a five million litre per day sewerage treatment plant would start soon.
The Star
25-04-2025
- Business
- The Star
UAE-Malaysia partnership to build South-East Asia's first sustainable aviation fuel refinery
KUALA LUMPUR: With a US$500mil (RM2.19bil) investment, UAE-based Bin Zayed International Group (BZI) and Malaysia's FatHopes Energy (FHE) are joining forces in a landmark partnership. The collaboration, according to the two firms, will deliver one of the world's most forward-looking sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) refineries in Port Klang - a move expected to transform the regional clean aviation landscape. Managing Director of BZI (Malaysia) Berhad Datuk Seri Dr Shamir Kumar Nandy said the integrated facility - among the first of its kind in Southeast Asia - will produce SAF via the HEFA pathway, which currently accounts for over 80% of global SAF production. Backed entirely by BZI's investment, he said the project is expected to break ground by 2026 and commence commercial operations in 2029. 'We are underwriting the entire sum for now by ourselves. Based on FatHopes' findings and updates, they're in the process of getting the necessary approvals and sanctions before they can break ground. 'So I believe that will be a year down the road — about 12 months from today (Friday, April 25),' he said during a press conference at the BZI office here on Friday (April 25). Also present at the announcement ceremony of the strategic investment between BZI and FatHopes Energy was Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad. He said the collaboration brings together BZI's global investment expertise and FHE's leadership in sustainable biofuel feedstock aggregation, laying the groundwork for a highly diversified and scalable SAF platform in the region. The Port Klang refinery, he said is expected to anchor Malaysia's broader ambition to produce one million tonnes of SAF annually, bolstering the country's position as a central player in the global SAF economy. 'This initiative has the potential to reimagine the future of flight. 'We will also explore advanced SAF technologies alongside FHE's refining partner and technology provider. 'It's about profit, people and the planet, that's what inspired this partnership, but most importantly, it's for the planet,' Shamir added. From FHE's perspective, the project is currently at the feasibility stage and is being developed as a 300,000-tonne-per-annum facility. 'That will be the production capacity, which will require about 330,000 tonnes of feed material,' said Vinesh Sinha, Chief Executive Officer of FatHopes Energy. 'The technology is capable of processing multiple feedstocks and will be guided by prevailing policies and certifications.' While financing has been fully committed by BZI, Sinha acknowledged that the primary challenges lie in the technical aspects of the refinery's development. 'The biggest challenge that we face is really on the technical front. 'There's a lot of input materials we need — hydrogen and nitrogen, which are major components of the manufacturing process,' he said. 'We are in the midst of identifying sources for those. And then there's the port infrastructure, which is also a key factor. 'On our end, we are really focused on technical readiness and securing EIA clearance for this particular plant,' Sinha added. Earlier in his speech, Nik Nazmi said the proposed SAF refinery in Port Klang will be a game-changer for Malaysia's energy and aviation sectors. 'This investment will serve as a catalyst for far-reaching transformation across our energy and aviation sectors,' he said. He said the project aligns with Malaysia's climate goals under the Paris Agreement and reinforces the country's position as a regional leader in the fast-growing Southeast Asian SAF market. 'Air travel is essential, but it must become sustainable. 'This refinery will help decarbonise the aviation sector while enhancing our energy security and supporting Malaysia's net-zero aspirations,' he said. Nik Nazmi also highlighted the project's socio-economic value, saying it will create jobs and benefit communities involved in the biofuel supply chain. 'This project shows that sustainability and economic opportunity can go hand in hand,' he added.
New Straits Times
25-04-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Sustainable aviation fuel refinery a game-changer, says Nik Nazmi
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is set to boost its role in the global clean energy sector with the development of a world-scale Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) refinery. The project is a result of a strategic partnership between Bin Zayed International (BZI) and local biofuel pioneer FatHopes Energy (FHE), Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad described the partnership as a "game-changer" for the country's energy and aviation sectors. "This investment will serve as a catalyst for far-reaching transformation. It heralds Malaysia's arrival as a serious player in the global clean energy and low-carbon economy," he said in a speech during the project's MoU signing ceremony today. The collaboration will see BZI's global investment experience paired with FHE's expertise in sustainable biofuel feedstock aggregation to establish a fully integrated SAF production facility, leveraging the HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids) pathway, which currently supplies over 80 per cent of the world's SAF. The partnership is expected to accelerate Malaysia's ambition of becoming a regional SAF hub, with a production target of up to one million tonnes annually. Commercial operations are slated to begin in 2029, with BZI also acquiring a strategic equity stake in FHE to ensure long-term alignment in sustainability, profitability and innovation. Nik Nazmi said the refinery would position Malaysia as a regional leader in the Southeast Asian SAF market, especially in light of the global aviation sector's transition to greener fuels. "This initiative is in line with the outcome of the first Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement. It firmly positions Malaysia as a regional leader in the fast-growing SAF market," he said. He added that the project would reduce Malaysia's reliance on imported SAF and allow the country to emerge as a producer and exporter in the region. "It enhances our national energy security and paves the way for a more self-reliant and competitive green economy." The refinery, he said, would also play a significant role in decarbonising the aviation sector —one of the most challenging industries to transition towards sustainability. "Air travel is essential, but it must become sustainable. This development will enable aviation companies to meet their emissions reduction targets, supporting energy transition and contributing to Malaysia's net-zero aspirations." The partnership is aligned with key national frameworks, including the National Energy Transition Roadmap, which targets a 47 per cent SAF blend by 2050, beginning with a 1 per cent mandate, as well as the Malaysian Aviation Decarbonisation Blueprint. Nik Nazmi also highlighted the social and economic benefits of the project, particularly for small businesses and communities involved in used cooking oil and waste oil collection. "This project demonstrates the potential of foreign-local collaboration to drive innovation in clean energy.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Universal Fuel Technologies' Pilot Demonstrates New Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production Pathways
During a five-month pilot, the company demonstrated that its Flexiforming technology can produce high-quality 100% synthetic SAF from multiple renewable feedstocks. Tested pathways to SAF include methanol-to-jet, ethanol-to-jet (ETJ), and renewable HEFA naphtha-with-ethanol-to-jet (NETJ). In the ETJ mode, Flexiforming uses 75% less energy and 33% less hydrogen than other ETJ processes, cutting processing costs by up to 50%. LOS ALTOS, Calif., March 25, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--To support Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production goals and increase feedstock availability, Universal Fuel Technologies (Unifuel) has completed a successful five-month pilot project. The campaign demonstrated the effectiveness and viability of the company's Flexiforming technology in producing SAF that is chemically comparable to conventional jet fuel from various renewable feedstocks. The project was conducted at the facilities of RPD Technologies in Crosby, Texas, from August through December of last year. It produced nearly 100 liters of SAF sample material under stable process conditions, signaling readiness for the technology to scale up. The campaign focused on converting methanol and ethanol to SAF and ethanol with paraffinic renewable naphtha made via Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) to SAF. Samples of Unifuel's Flexiforming SAF have been thoroughly tested and are now being analyzed at Washington State University's Bioproducts, Sciences, and Engineering Lab for Tier 0 screening—the initial step of the SAF certification process. "As an industry, it's crucial that we continue to support and explore new technologies to advance SAF to match the functionality of petroleum-derived jet fuel," said Joshua Heyne, Director of the Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Lab (BSEL) at Washington State University. "The capability to make aromatic molecules and process various feedstocks through a single technology platform not only streamlines SAF production but also significantly lowers production costs, making it more economically viable and accessible for producers and airlines." The pilot yielded two distinct forms of SAF: Synthetic Aromatic Kerosene (SAK), an essential aromatic blend component for maintaining compatibility of paraffinic SAF with the composition of fossil kerosene, and a 100% drop-in, fully synthetic SAF that contains the correct aromatic content for commercial use, pending certification by ASTM International, the leading global technical standards organization. As a result, the aromatic component of SAF produced through Flexiforming, made from HEFA and FT naphtha, can be blended with the primary paraffinic SAF stream from these units. This creates the opportunity to produce drop-in SAF directly at HEFA and FT units, reducing the costs and complexity of the logistics and aiding in industry adoption. "The impact of this pilot project reaches far beyond technical validation," said Alexei Beltyukov, CEO of Universal Fuel Technologies. "A considerable value of Flexiforming is that it contributes to making SAF fully interchangeable with fossil jet fuel once ASTM approved. Because of its aromatic properties, which are essential for compatibility with today's aircraft, Unifuel's SAK can be blended with paraffinic SAF from HEFA or FT and sold directly to airlines without the need for blending with another fuel. As the aviation industry faces increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact and contain costs, technologies like Flexiforming could be crucial in scaling up sustainable aviation fuel production to keep pace with demand." Flexiforming provides several options for SAF production, making it especially adaptable for various renewable fuel scenarios. The pilot campaign validated ethanol-to-jet (ETJ), methanol-to-jet (MTJ), and renewable naphtha-with-ethanol-to-jet (NETJ) production routes, offering flexibility in feedstock selection. Due to the technology's substantially lower energy and hydrogen requirements, Unifuel estimates Flexiforming to be half the cost of current ETJ processes. Moreover, Flexiforming allows renewable fuel plant operators to upgrade low-value byproduct naphtha from existing HEFA or Fischer-Tropsch (FT) processes to create high-value aromatic SAF that can be blended into fully synthetic drop-in-ready jet fuel. "The samples of Unifuel's Flexiforming SAF candidates show promise to proceed to full certification as aviation turbine fuel," said Harrison Yang, Research Assistant Professor of the BSEL at Washington State University. Unifuel's team has completed over a decade of research and extensive testing on its Flexiforming technology. As Unifuel transitions to the next stage, samples of the Flexiforming SAF produced during the campaign are being prepared for ASTM certification submission. This certification process is essential for validating the fuel's safety and performance characteristics, ultimately determining its viability for commercial aviation use. To learn more about Unifuel's journey toward revolutionizing sustainable fuel production, visit About Universal Fuel Technologies Universal Fuel Technologies is a technology licensing company committed to advancing sustainable fuel production through its Flexiforming chemical process. Cost and energy-efficient, Flexiforming converts renewable feedstocks to drop-in-ready sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Offering unparalleled flexibility in feedstock selection and scale of deployment, the company helps plant operators easily adapt to market conditions. Flexiforming is compatible with any alcohol feedstock and complements existing SAF processes by upgrading naphtha and LPG to high-value SAF. Backed by a decade of research and over 6,000 hours of testing, Universal Fuel Technologies supports the industry's transition to renewable fuels with technology that results in fewer carbon emissions and higher revenue generation. To learn more about Universal Fuel Technologies, please visit View source version on Contacts Technica CommunicationsMelanie Morrismelanie@ Sign in to access your portfolio
