China's sustainable aviation fuel has achieved mass production

"The value of gutter oil, which is as muddy as soy sauce, has doubled in value when it is transformed into clear biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel. Li Jianping, chief engineer of Henan Junheng Industrial Group Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Junheng Biotechnology"), said that compared with traditional petroleum-based aviation fuel, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) reduces carbon emissions by nearly eighty percent.

On January 20, Junheng Biotech's SAF was approved by the Civil Aviation Administration of China for airworthiness, which marks the first SAF produced by a private petrochemical enterprise in China to be officially approved for airworthiness and can be put into commercial use.

Xia Zuxi, director of the Aviation Fuel Airworthiness Certification Center of China, introduced that SAF is a new type of aviation fuel that blends biologically manufactured green aviation fuel with traditional fuel in a certain proportion, which can reduce net carbon dioxide emissions by more than 80% throughout the life cycle, and is a feasible alternative to green aviation energy.

Private enterprises eat SAF "crabs" for the first time

The return of food waste oil (gutter oil) to the table will endanger human health and affect food safety. However, SAF prepared from meal waste grease is a carbon-neutral fuel with excellent performance.

Zhang Zhenhui, executive director of Junheng Biotechnology, introduced that the company's independent research and development of green and low-carbon biofuel technology, which lasted 5 years, ended with fruits, using waste oil, water oil and other waste oils and fats as raw materials for production, opening a new chapter of green environmental protection from "poison" to "treasure", from a scourge to a society to serve the society and benefit mankind.

At the beginning of January, Junheng Biotech's SAF also carried out performance and function test on the auxiliary power unit bench, and the test results all reached the standard, which was equivalent to No. 3 jet fuel, which was also the first successful engine test of 100% sustainable aviation fuel in China.

Zhu Liangcai, mayor of Puyang City, Henan Province, introduced that Junheng Bio's SAF was approved by the Civil Aviation Administration of China for airworthiness and obtained the qualification to enter the civil aviation market, which is the fruitful achievement of Junheng Biotech's scientific and technological innovation, and also the successful practice of Puyang's industrial transformation and upgrading.

Puyang is the Central Plains Petrochemical City, and at present, Puyang City plans to build a new chemical base covering an area of 65 square kilometers and the only one approved by the provincial government in Henan Province, which is the area with the most complete petrochemical industry system in Henan Province. As a fast-growing key private enterprise in Puyang, Junheng Biotech has taken the lead in developing a hydrotreating process for high acid and water resistance catalysts and waste animal and vegetable oils in the world, and its related products are exported to the European Union, with an operating income of more than 2.2 billion yuan in 2023.

A substantial step towards "green fuels".

With the rapid development of the civil aviation industry, the demand for aviation fuel has grown rigidly, and the large amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated by its combustion has become a shackle to the decarbonization of the civil aviation industry.

"The development of SAF to promote green and low-carbon transformation has become a new track for competition in the global aviation industry. The relevant person in charge of the Airworthiness Certification Department of the Civil Aviation Administration of China introduced. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has put forward the long-term vision 2050 goals and launched the International Aviation Carbon Offset and Emission Reduction Plan, under which China's civil aviation enterprises will pay about 20% of their annual net profit as aviation carbon emission fees every year.

In 2023, the European Parliament approved the European Clean Fuels Act aviation regulations, which require at least 2% of the fuel used by aircraft taking off and landing at EU airports to be "green fuel" by 2025, and this proportion will increase to 70% by 2050. This will greatly increase the operating costs of China's civil aviation industry and restrict the development of China's civil aviation industry.

Due to the excellent emission reduction effect of SAF in the whole life cycle, the Civil Aviation Administration of China regards SAF as the most important starting point for energy conservation and emission reduction in civil aviation in the medium and long term, and the realization of green development. In March 2023, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) established a leading group for the "dual carbon" work to coordinate and deploy the "dual carbon" work of civil aviation. Under the guidance of top-level design, China's civil aviation industry has actively explored and achieved certain results and progress in SAF production, airworthiness verification, and demonstration application.

"Junheng Biotech is the first private enterprise to obtain certificates, and it is also the first enterprise to carry out normalized SAF production and refining. According to the relevant person in charge of the Airworthiness Certification Department of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, Junheng Biotech has joined the production ranks of SAF, which not only ensures the supply of SAF in the future, but also sets a banner and benchmark for private enterprises to help the green development of civil aviation. In the future, the Civil Aviation Administration of China will be based on the national strategic goal of "double carbon", through the formation of the whole industry chain synergy, revitalize industry resources, continue to promote the diversification of SAF raw materials and industrial chain, accelerate the construction of China's independent aviation fuel sustainable certification system, solve the shortcomings of raw materials, production refining and sustainable certification, win the initiative in the transformation and development of aviation energy, and contribute to the sustainable development of global civil aviation.