Context: 

The first pilot technology project to make jet fuel from alcohol was inaugurated by the Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister in Pune. 

Praj Industries Starts Making Jet Fuel From Alcohol

• Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is collaborating with Praj Industries Pune  to set up an Sustainable Aviation Fuel production unit based on the alcohol-to-jet fuel (ATJ) pathway.
• 2023 saw the completion of a  flight from Pune to Delhi using bio aviation fuel made from alcohol. 

What is Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)?

• Sustainable Aviation Fuel, also known as bio-jet fuel, is a type of fuel that is produced through domestically developed methods using cooking oil and oil-rich seeds from plants.
•  It can be produced from a number of sources (feedstock) including waste oil and fats, green and municipal waste and non-food crops such as Palm stearin, sapium oil, palm fatty acid distillates, algae oil, karanja, and jatropha.

Methods of Producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

• Hydro-processed esters and fatty acids (HEFA): Mostly from used cooking oil it uses hydrogen in refining a range of vegetable oils and fats to turn into jet-range fuel.
• Alcohol-to-jet (AtJ): Uses alcohol (ethanol and iso-butanol) derived from surplus sugar streams such as cane molasses and syrup to produce alternative jet fuel through the removal of oxygen.
• Gasification/Fischer-Tropsch (GAS-FT): It involves the conversion of synthesis gas into liquid fuel and uses  municipal solid waste and agricultural residues
• Power-to-liquid (PtL): It could be feasible based on green hydrogen technology and access to point sources of carbon in the chemical, steel and cement industries.

Need For Producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

• International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA): It applies to international flights and would  require airlines globally to offset any growth in carbon dioxide emissions beyond the 2020 levels.
  • The Mandatory phase will take effect from 2027, and India must comply. 
• Targets: The National Biofuel Coordination Committee (NBCC) has set the initial indicative targets for blending of SAF with aviation turbine fuel (ATF)
  • 1% Sustainable Aviation Fuel indicative blending target in 2027 (initially for international flights) 2% SAF blending target in 2028.
• SAF scope:  1 percent SAF blending in jet fuel would require 14 crore litres of SAF per year

• Benefits of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

  • Reduce  carbon emissions by a current average up to 70%, and with the potential to grow to 100% leading to material reductions in aviation’s carbon emissions today.
  • Additional income for farmers: selling agriculture residue could provide farmers with an additional income of $160 per hectare, which represents an approximate income increase of 15%. 
  • Improved Air quality: Decreased open-air burning would also eliminate air pollution and reduce GHG emissions by up to 78%
  • Green jobs opportunities: 120,000+ new green jobs across production plants and collection systems,related supply chains and induced effects.
  • Enhanced energy security:  Domestic feedstock would substitute fossil jet fuel and create export opportunity (yielding $210 million reserves for 10% blend of SAF) and reducing oil import bill.
  • Catalyst for efficient waste management: Reduce landfills  significantly by supporting demand for better segregated waste

• Challenges With Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

• • Economic Feasibility: The cost of producing  Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is higher than traditional jet fuel, thus  economically unfeasible for airlines to invest in SAF production and use. 
  • Scalability: There is limited infrastructure for the production, storage, and distribution of SAF, making it difficult to scale up the production and supply of SAF. 
  • Feedstock availability: Limited availability of feedstock in addition to competition for resources from other industries, such as the food and agriculture sectors. 
  • Standards and certification: The certification process for SAF is complex and time-consuming, and a lack of globally recognised standards for SAF production.

Way Forward

• Policy intervention: Guided policy support at national, regional (e.g. EU) and international (UN) level to create the necessary framework for the commercialization of SAF
• Inclusion of SAF targets in the National policy on Biofuels. 
• Barriers to Trade: Work towards removing barriers to the realization of a cost-competitive SAF market
• Single global standard: Promote the global harmonization of sustainability criteria for SAF
• Technical Awareness: Educate and support producers on the technical certification process (i.e ASTM D1655 certification)
• Exhibitions and conventions: Establish forums for knowledge exchange and business networking opportunities for suppliers and consumers of SAF (e.g. Sustainable Aviation Fuel Symposium).

News Source: News on AIR