Emerson to Automate Europe’s First Greenfield Sustainable Aviation Fuel Plant with DeltaV
Time:2026-09-18 Browse: 0
SEO Keywords: Emerson DeltaV, sustainable aviation fuel plant, SAF automation, DCS automation, process automation, Emerson ICSS, industrial control system, process safety, greenfield automation, refinery automation, energy transition
Emerson Selected to Automate Europe’s First Greenfield Sustainable Aviation Fuel Facility
Emerson has been selected to provide automation technologies for the SkyNRG sustainable aviation fuel facility currently being constructed in Delfzijl, the Netherlands.
The announcement was made on September 15, 2026. Technip Energies awarded Emerson a contract to provide automation technologies for the project, which is described as Europe's first dedicated greenfield sustainable aviation fuel production facility.
The project is an important example of how process automation is being applied to emerging energy industries.
Unlike a conventional brownfield modernization project, a greenfield facility is built from the ground up. This gives engineers an opportunity to design the control system, safety architecture, instrumentation, networking and automation infrastructure as part of the original plant design.
For a process industry project, this can provide significant opportunities to integrate automation technologies from the beginning.
Emerson will provide its DeltaV integrated control and safety system for the facility. The system is intended to support safe and reliable startup as well as long-term operational performance.
The project demonstrates how DCS and safety automation technologies are being applied beyond traditional oil, gas and chemical facilities and into newer energy and sustainable fuel applications.
What Is a Greenfield Automation Project?
A greenfield project is a new facility built without the constraints of an existing plant infrastructure.
This differs from a brownfield project, where new automation equipment must often be integrated with existing control systems, wiring, field devices and legacy equipment.
Greenfield projects provide more freedom during automation design.
Engineers can define the control architecture before equipment installation begins.
This can include the DCS platform, safety instrumented systems, industrial networks, field instrumentation, remote I/O, operator stations and asset management technologies.
The SkyNRG facility is an example of a complex greenfield process automation project where the automation architecture can be developed alongside the process plant itself.
This type of integration is important because the control system is not simply installed after the plant is built.
It becomes part of the plant's engineering and commissioning process.
DeltaV Integrated Control and Safety System
Emerson's DeltaV integrated control and safety system will be used to support the SkyNRG facility.
An integrated control and safety system combines process control and safety functions within a coordinated automation architecture.
Process control systems are responsible for managing normal plant operations.
They continuously monitor variables such as temperature, pressure, flow and level and use control strategies to maintain the process within desired operating conditions.
Safety systems have a different purpose.
They are designed to respond to hazardous conditions and initiate predefined protective actions when necessary.
The integration of these functions can simplify system architecture while still maintaining the necessary separation and independence required for safety-related functions.
For a new process facility, designing these systems together from the beginning can reduce engineering complexity.
Why Automation Is Critical in Sustainable Fuel Production
Sustainable aviation fuel production involves complex process operations.
The SkyNRG facility is designed to convert residual fats and oils into a sustainable drop-in aviation fuel that can be blended with conventional aviation fuel.
Process conditions need to be monitored and controlled throughout the production process.
Temperature, pressure, flow, chemical composition and equipment status can all influence plant performance.
Automation systems provide the infrastructure required to monitor these variables continuously.
Field instruments collect real-time process information.
The DCS processes this information and executes control strategies.
Operators use HMI and control room interfaces to monitor plant operation and respond to abnormal conditions.
Safety systems provide additional protection when process conditions move outside acceptable limits.
This layered architecture is common in modern process automation and is particularly important for new facilities handling complex chemical and energy processes.
Digital Automation for Safe Plant Startup
Plant startup is one of the most important stages in a new industrial facility.
During startup, equipment transitions from an inactive state to operating conditions.
Process parameters can change quickly, and different equipment systems need to be started in the correct sequence.
Automation plays a critical role in managing this transition.
A well-designed DCS can provide operators with real-time process information while controlling equipment according to defined sequences.
Safety systems can monitor critical conditions and initiate protective actions if required.
For a first-of-a-kind facility, startup can be particularly challenging because operating teams may not have extensive experience with the exact process configuration.
Digital automation technologies can help engineers prepare for startup before the physical plant is fully operational.
Simulation and engineering tools can be used to test control strategies, identify potential problems and improve operator preparedness.
Reducing Engineering Complexity
Large process plants can contain thousands of field signals.
Every sensor, valve, motor and control loop creates engineering requirements.
Traditional control architectures can require extensive wiring between field devices and control system cabinets.
Emerson's solution includes DeltaV Electronic Marshalling with distributed CHARMs technology.
Electronic marshalling can provide greater flexibility in connecting field devices to the control system.
This can be particularly valuable in a greenfield project where plant design may continue to evolve during engineering and construction.
Late-stage design changes can create significant challenges for traditional wiring architectures.
A more flexible I/O architecture can help accommodate changes without requiring extensive physical rewiring.
For large process automation projects, this can reduce engineering effort and simplify commissioning.
DCS Technology in the Energy Transition
The energy transition is creating new applications for industrial automation.
Traditional DCS technologies have been widely used in oil refineries, chemical plants, power generation facilities and other process industries.
As new energy technologies develop, these same automation principles are being applied to new types of production facilities.
Sustainable aviation fuel is one example.
The production process requires continuous monitoring and precise control, just like many conventional process industries.
This means that established DCS technologies remain relevant even as the underlying industrial processes change.
The automation system provides a common framework for managing instrumentation, control loops, alarms, operator interfaces and safety functions.
Modular Production and Automation Integration
The SkyNRG project also highlights the importance of modular process equipment.
Modern process plants can contain multiple production modules supplied by different equipment manufacturers.
These modules need to communicate with the central automation system.
Integration can become complicated if every module uses a different control architecture.
A common DCS and safety platform can help provide a unified operating environment.
Operators can access information from different process units through a coordinated interface.
Engineers can also manage alarms, control strategies and plant-wide information through a common automation architecture.
This is increasingly important as industrial projects become more modular.
Cybersecurity and Modern Process Automation
Connected process automation also increases the importance of cybersecurity.
A modern DCS is no longer an isolated control system.
It may exchange information with engineering workstations, maintenance systems, asset management platforms and other digital applications.
Industrial networks provide significant operational benefits, but they must be designed with security in mind.
Cybersecurity needs to be considered throughout the automation lifecycle.
This includes system architecture, network segmentation, user access, software management and maintenance procedures.
For a new greenfield facility, cybersecurity can be incorporated into the design from the beginning rather than being added later.
This can provide advantages compared with trying to retrofit security measures into a legacy automation system.
Process Safety and Industrial Automation
Process safety is another central part of the project.
In a complex process plant, automation systems need to do more than optimize production.
They also need to help protect people, equipment and the environment.
Safety instrumentation can monitor critical process variables and initiate predefined responses when hazardous conditions are detected.
An integrated control and safety architecture can provide operators with information about both normal process conditions and safety-related events.
The design of such systems requires careful engineering and validation.
Safety functions must be based on appropriate process hazard analysis, safety requirements and applicable industry standards.
Automation technology provides the platform, but the safety performance ultimately depends on proper engineering, configuration and maintenance.
The Expected Production Scale
The SkyNRG facility is currently under construction in Delfzijl.
Once fully operational in 2028, the plant is expected to produce approximately 100,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel per year.
The facility is designed to convert residual fats and oils into a sustainable drop-in fuel.
The project is therefore not simply an automation deployment.
It represents the application of industrial process control technologies to an emerging fuel production sector.
As sustainable aviation fuel production expands, automation systems will play an important role in ensuring reliable and efficient plant operation.
What This Means for DCS Engineers
For DCS engineers, the project illustrates how traditional process automation expertise can be applied to new industrial sectors.
The underlying engineering principles remain familiar.
Engineers still need to design control loops, configure alarms, integrate field instruments, manage I/O, develop operator graphics and coordinate safety functions.
However, the process being controlled may be very different from a traditional refinery or chemical plant.
This creates opportunities for automation professionals who understand both process control and new energy technologies.
DCS engineers may increasingly work on sustainable fuels, hydrogen, carbon capture, battery materials, renewable energy and other emerging industrial processes.
The Future of Greenfield Process Automation
Greenfield facilities offer an opportunity to design automation architecture around modern industrial requirements from the beginning.
Instead of inheriting legacy control systems, engineers can build a new automation environment around current requirements for connectivity, cybersecurity, safety, data analytics and operational efficiency.
The SkyNRG sustainable aviation fuel project demonstrates this approach.
Emerson's DeltaV integrated control and safety system will provide a unified automation foundation for the new facility, supporting process control, safety functions and plant startup.
The project also demonstrates the continuing importance of DCS technology in the energy transition.
Although the industrial processes of the future may differ from traditional oil and gas operations, they still require reliable control, instrumentation, safety systems and real-time operational visibility.
As new sustainable fuel facilities are developed around the world, industrial automation will remain a fundamental part of their design.
For PLC, DCS and process automation professionals, this represents an expanding field of applications.
The combination of modern DCS technology, integrated safety systems, flexible I/O architecture and digital engineering can help new process plants move from design to commissioning and long-term operation more efficiently.
The SkyNRG project provides a current example of how automation technology is becoming part of the infrastructure supporting the next generation of industrial energy production.
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