Sasol and Topsoe announced they intend to prepare for the orderly operational wind-down of Zaffra, their sustainable aviation fuel joint venture, while continuing and enhancing their existing technology licensing collaboration through the Single Point Licensor (SPL) framework established in 2019.
What Zaffra Was, and What Replaces It
Formed in 2023, Zaffra combined Sasol's Fischer-Tropsch fuel technology with Topsoe's clean fuels expertise to pursue SAF opportunities as a dedicated joint venture. Over its operation, the companies say Zaffra helped build market insight, developed a pipeline of opportunities, and strengthened engagement with customers and value-chain partners. Going forward, that combined technology offering continues through the SPL framework instead, under which six licenses have already been signed; the companies describe this as a change in organizational structure rather than a change in the underlying technology partnership or their commitment to SAF.
Why the Companies Frame This as Restructuring, Not Retreat
Sasol President and CEO Simon Baloyi described the decision as the next organizational phase of the companies' SAF work together, crediting Zaffra with establishing an important foundation for the market. Sasol and Topsoe have worked together for more than 30 years on Fischer-Tropsch and clean fuels technology, and both companies stated the change follows a strategic review aimed at creating a more flexible structure for the next phase of SAF market development, rather than a decision tied to Zaffra's specific commercial performance.
What Changes in Practice
Through the SPL framework, Sasol and Topsoe will continue offering integrated technology solutions to customers, combining Fischer-Tropsch and clean fuels expertise in a single licensing package. The companies say they will also assess whether more targeted, bespoke partnership structures may be appropriate for specific strategic projects requiring closer coordination, as the global SAF market continues to develop, alongside the standard SPL licensing model.
Source: Topsoe, 26 June 2026,
