UMeWorld Advances Renewable Hydrogen Integration in Malaysian Sustainable Aviation Fuel Project
UMeWorld Inc. is advancing the development of its flagship Project Verdant™ Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) facility in Malaysia, with the proposed integration of on-site renewable hydrogen production forming a key component of the project’s strategy to reduce carbon intensity and strengthen long-term feedstock and energy security.
Following the initial findings of an independent feasibility study conducted by FGE NexantECA, UMeWorld has moved Project Verdant into the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) contractor-selection phase and issued a Request for Interest (RFI) to shortlisted international engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors.
The feasibility work evaluated the project’s technical configuration, renewable feedstock strategy, capital and operating requirements, logistics, market outlook and overall economics. The final feasibility report is expected in the coming weeks.
Project Verdant is initially designed to produce approximately 200,000 metric tonnes of SAF annually, with the potential to expand to approximately 400,000 tonnes per year through phased development. The facility is expected to use proven Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) technology and process multiple renewable feedstocks, including Used Cooking Oil (UCO) and alternative feedstocks such as Single-Cell Oil (SCO).
A central element of the proposed configuration is an on-site hydrogen manufacturing unit. The system is intended to utilize internally generated renewable naphtha as a supplementary feedstock, with the objective of reducing the facility’s reliance on fossil-derived hydrogen.
By incorporating hydrogen production directly into the SAF facility, UMeWorld is seeking to establish a more integrated renewable-fuels platform in which hydrogen supply, feedstock processing and SAF production can operate within the same project infrastructure. The approach could help reduce exposure to external hydrogen supply while supporting the project’s broader objective of lowering carbon intensity.
Hydrogen is an important input in the production of hydroprocessed renewable fuels, making the availability and carbon intensity of hydrogen a significant consideration for SAF projects. UMeWorld’s proposed on-site production system is therefore intended to form part of the project’s overall decarbonization strategy rather than relying exclusively on conventional externally supplied hydrogen.
To advance the project while maintaining competitive pressure on engineering and capital costs, UMeWorld is pursuing a dual-FEED strategy. Two EPC contractors will be selected to independently develop parallel FEED packages for Project Verdant.
Shortlisted contractors have been requested to submit their RFI responses by September 30, 2026. UMeWorld expects to select two contractors in October, with FEED engineering activities targeted to begin during the fourth quarter of 2026.
Following completion of the dual-FEED phase, UMeWorld intends to select a preferred EPC contractor based on engineering quality, capital efficiency, execution strategy, commercial terms, process guarantees and overall project bankability. The preferred contractor would then be positioned to progress toward a lump-sum turnkey EPC agreement, subject to project financing, a Final Investment Decision and definitive commercial agreements.
The company is also continuing discussions with regional development finance institutions, multilateral lenders, strategic partners and project-finance providers as the project moves toward detailed engineering.
The development of Project Verdant comes as SAF producers seek to reduce the lifecycle carbon intensity of aviation fuels while securing reliable supplies of renewable feedstocks and low-carbon hydrogen. UMeWorld’s proposed combination of multi-feedstock processing and integrated hydrogen production is intended to address both elements as the project progresses toward commercial development.
“Our competitive dual-FEED strategy is designed to maintain commercial tension, optimize engineering and capital costs, strengthen execution and secure robust performance guarantees for investors and project-finance partners,” said Michael Lee, CEO of UMeWorld.
With the project now progressing from feasibility into FEED contractor selection, UMeWorld is positioning renewable hydrogen as an important component of the infrastructure required to support the next stage of Project Verdant and its planned expansion into large-scale sustainable aviation fuel production.
