Every day, hundreds of thousands of planes take off and millions of trucks hit the roads. While they’re essential to our economy, they’re also significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. 

 The aviation industry alone emits approximately 914 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) annually, accounting for about 2.5% of global emissions. Road transportation contributes even more, responsible for approximately 15% of global CO₂ emissions. With air travel and road transport expected to grow significantly in the coming decades, the need for sustainable solutions has never been greater. Battery-powered vehicles are part of the solution, but neither current nor projected batteries are expected to have the capability to power long-haul flights or long-haul road journeys without charging stops. 

One of the most promising, realistic solutions: renewable diesel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). ,

CPM is a pivotal player in the transition towards cleaner fuels. Specializing in advanced pretreatment technologies, CPM’s Crown enables the production of renewable diesel and SAF that are chemically and functionally identical to their fossil fuel counterparts. And this isn’t a pie-in-the-sky future technology. It’s something we’re doing right now. 

Understanding Renewable Diesel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel

Renewable diesel and SAF are powerful tools in the effort to reduce global greenhouse emissions. Unlike traditional biodiesel, renewable diesel and SAF are functionally indistinguishable from their petroleum-based counterparts. This “drop-in” capability allows them to be used seamlessly in existing diesel engines and aircraft without any modifications.

Produced through a process called hydrotreating—where hydrogen is used to convert renewable feedstocks into hydrocarbons—these fuels offer substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions over their lifecycle. For instance, renewable diesel can reduce emissions by up to 85% compared to fossil diesel, while SAF can reduce lifecycle emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel.

“Renewable diesel and SAF are actually diesel fuel and jet fuel—they’re chemically equivalent molecules to the petroleum versions,” explains Bill Morphew, Global Vice President of Sales, Liquids Segment, CPM Engineered Solutions. “By using renewable feedstocks, we’re able to significantly lower the carbon intensity of these fuels, contributing to global emission reduction goals.”

These fuels are produced from a variety of renewable feedstocks including:

• Vegetable Oils: Extracted from crops like soybeans, canola, and sunflower seeds.
• Animal Fats: By-products from meat processing that might otherwise be discarded.
• Used Cooking Oils: Waste oils collected from restaurants and food processing facilities.

By utilizing feedstocks that are renewable and often considered waste products, renewable diesel and SAF not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also make use of materials that might otherwise end up in landfills.

CPM Crown’s Role: Pretreatment Experts

The journey from raw feedstock to high-quality renewable fuel begins with effective pretreatment—a specialty of Crown.  Crown’s advanced pretreatment technologies are crucial for removing impurities that can damage refinery equipment or reduce fuel quality.

“Our role is to clean up the feedstock, removing impurities that could damage the refinery process,” explains Bill. “Whether the feedstock comes from vegetable oils, animal fats, or used cooking oils, our pretreatment technologies ensure that the refining process runs smoothly.”

CPM Crown’s Pretreatment Process

Crown’s pretreatment processes are custom-designed and implemented to meet the needs of each facility. Crown is a full-service provider that plans, designs, engineers, optimizes and supports comprehensive lifecycle solutions. 

For renewable diesel and SAF production, that pretreatment process often involves one or more of several pretreatment techniques:

• Polyethylene/solids removal: Many waste feedstocks contain significant quantities of solid impurities, which need to be removed to protect equipment.  Some feedstocks contain Polyethylene, which is especially damaging to downstream equipment and expensive catalysts in Hydrotreating.  This process step uses filtration to reduce these contaminants to minimum levels.
• Degumming: This is the most critical step for seed oils. This process typically uses natural enzymes in enzymatic degumming to precisely remove gums and phospholipids from the oil. “Enzymatic degumming allows us to target specific impurities precisely, improving fuel quality and protecting equipment,” says Bill.
• Bleaching: This step removes metals and other contaminants using a special type of clay known as bleaching earth. The contaminants bind to the bleaching earth, which is then filtered out, leaving cleaner oil behind. Crown’s innovative Double-Pass Bleaching System minimizes oil loss and reduces the amount of bleaching earth needed. “The Double-Pass Bleaching System helps improve yield and cost-efficiency, which is crucial for producers,” Bill adds.
• Water Washing: This step can be added between degumming and bleaching for additional contaminant removal by washing the oil with water and then separating the water phase.

Compatibility with Existing Infrastructure

One of the significant advantages of renewable diesel and SAF is their compatibility with existing infrastructure. After going through Crown’s pretreatment process, the cleaned feedstock can be processed by many of the same petroleum refineries that handle traditional fossil fuels.

“Because renewable diesel and SAF are chemically identical to their fossil counterparts, they can be integrated into the current fuel supply chain without the need for new plants or modifications,” Bill explains. “This seamless integration accelerates adoption and makes the transition to sustainable fuels more practical and cost-effective.”

Crown’s Competitive Advantages

Crown stands out in the industry for several reasons:

• Flexibility: Unlike some competitors tied to specific equipment, Crown approaches each situation with a blank canvas, tailoring solutions to customer needs and various feedstocks.
• Integration: Crown’s solutions integrate seamlessly with other CPM business areas, offering comprehensive solutions from oilseed crushing to renewable fuel production.
• Field service: The company provides expert, industry-leading field service support for training, troubleshooting, and optimization, ensuring that clients get the most out of their equipment.

Renewable Diesel & SAF Innovation at the Liquids Pilot Plant

A critical element of CPM’s success in advancing renewable diesel and SAF is its Liquids Pilot Plant. Located at CPM’s Crown Global Innovation Center in Blaine, Minnesota, the Liquids Pilot Plant offers an invaluable resource for testing, validating, and optimizing processes. This cutting-edge facility allows for continuous testing of renewable feedstocks such as vegetable oils, animal fats, and used cooking oils, helping producers meet the stringent quality standards required for renewable diesel and SAF production.

The key benefit for fuel producers lies in the Liquids Pilot Plant’s ability to test diverse renewable feedstocks, such as vegetable oils and animal fats, in a continuous production environment. This allows for precise optimization of pretreatment processes, ensuring maximum contaminant removal and significantly improving fuel quality. For SAF and Renewable Diesel producers, this means extended catalyst life, reduced operational downtime, and greater efficiency—leading to lower production costs and more reliable, scalable fuel solutions.

“Our Liquids Pilot Plant offers an unparalleled advantage,” says Bill. “Producers can confidently explore new feedstock blends, validate their processes, and quickly bring innovative SAF and Renewable Diesel products to market, meeting both performance and sustainability goals.”

By providing a risk-free environment for testing, Crown empowers producers to meet the growing global demand for cleaner, renewable fuels without ever having to put an untested, non-validated process into their facilities at a production scale. 

Market Drivers and Challenges

The growth of renewable diesel and SAF is driven by government mandates and incentives aimed at reducing carbon emissions. Programs like the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard and California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard encourage producers to lower emissions. The shift from a blenders tax credit to a producers tax credit in the U.S. aims to incentivize domestic production of renewable fuels.

However, challenges remain. One of the key issues is the availability and variability of high-quality feedstocks. Renewable feedstocks can vary significantly in composition and quality, posing challenges for consistent fuel production. Additionally, global variations in regulations and definitions of sustainable fuels can complicate international operations.

Crown addresses these challenges through its flexible and innovative pretreatment technologies.

“Our ability to tailor solutions to different feedstocks means we can handle a wide range of input materials, from various vegetable oils to animal fats and used cooking oils,” Bill explains. “By optimizing the pretreatment process for each specific feedstock, we help producers overcome variability and maintain consistent fuel quality.”

Efficiency and Yield Improvements

Maximizing yield is essential for both profitability and sustainability. While Crown works to improve efficiency throughout the process, the biggest opportunity for savings comes from reducing oil loss and improving efficiency throughout the pretreatment process.

“A little more  energy or steam is going to have a less significant impact on overall efficiency compared to oil loss,” Bill explains. “Our innovations, such as the Double-Pass Bleaching System, work to improve efficiency and reduce waste, ensuring that our clients get the most out of every gallon of feedstock.”

The target yield for the pretreatment process can range from 95% to greater than 99%, depending on the contaminants present in the feedstock. By minimizing losses, Crown helps producers enhance their bottom line while contributing to environmental sustainability.

Future Outlook

The future of renewable diesel and SAF looks promising, with growing demand from airlines and increasing adoption worldwide. The European Union has implemented a tiered approach to SAF usage targets, starting with 2% in 2025 and aiming for 63% by 2050. Similarly, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, heavily relying on SAF.

In the United States, California is leading the way with ambitious renewable fuel requirements. 

“California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard is driving significant demand for renewable diesel and SAF,” Bill explains. “The state has set aggressive targets for reducing the carbon intensity of transportation fuels, which is creating a strong market for these sustainable alternatives.”

California’s approach is not just focused on aviation but also includes ground transportation. This comprehensive strategy is encouraging the development of renewable diesel for trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles, further expanding the market for Crown’s pretreatment technologies.

To meet future fuel demands across various transportation sectors, a diverse range of feedstocks will be necessary. CPM and its Crown team are well-positioned to help the industry adapt to this variety, thanks to its flexible approach and innovative technologies.

Moving Forward

As the world moves toward a more sustainable future, oil producers and refineries are at the forefront of this transformation. Crown is committed to empowering you with advanced pretreatment technologies that enhance efficiency, maximize yield, and facilitate the production of high-quality renewable diesel and SAF.

If you’re seeking to optimize your operations, reduce impurities in your feedstocks, or expand into renewable fuel production, CPM and its Crown team are here to support your journey. Together, we can drive innovation, improve profitability, and contribute to a cleaner environment.

Contact us today to learn how our pretreatment solutions can help you meet the growing demand for renewable fuels and position your business for a sustainable future.