Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) producer LanzaJet will work with petrochemical developer Cosmo Oil and trading firm Mitsui on a project to accelerate large-scale SAF production in Japan.
The nation’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has selected Cosmo Oil to receive a subsidy supporting the project utilizing LanzaJet’s SAF technology. Once completed, the project will produce approximately 150,000 kiloliters of SAF and 17,000 kiloliters of renewable diesel annually at the Sakaide Logistics Base, beginning 2029.
Utilizing LanzaJet's proprietary ethanol-to-SAF technology, Cosmo Oil intends to leverage the company's expertise in plant operations, fuel quality control, and logistics with Mitsui's capabilities in ethanol procurement to develop the project. The project will establish a large-scale SAF production facility and create new business opportunities within Japan's biofuels sector.
"LanzaJet's proprietary alcohol-to-jet technology is helping governments worldwide as well as the global aviation industry meet ambitious demands for sustainable growth and alternative fuels goals," said Jimmy Samartzis, Chief Executive Officer of LanzaJet. "In support of Cosmo Oil, Mitsui & Co., and the Japanese government, we look forward to accelerating the development of domestic SAF and advancing an energy-diverse aviation sector."
Sustainable aviation fuel is a biofuel which can be derived from ethanol (energy fuel distilled from corn stock) or other biofuels from animal and vegetable oils and waste streams. Once fully refined, the SAF energy density is high enough to justify it as a drop-in product with conventional jet fuel, but with a lower carbon profile.
LanzaJet, in addition to its U.S. efforts, is working with Sembcorp on developing SAF in the United Kingdom. Microsoft has invested in the company as part of its sustainability initiatives.
