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Japan Airlines and Airbus have joined a consortium of three other companies that plans to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in Japan.
The five companies have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on the project, which is aimed at developing SAF using bioethanol derived from wood biomass. In addition to JAL and Airbus, the other companies are Nippon Paper Industries, Sumitomo Corp. and Green Earth Institute (GEI).
The three non-aviation companies launched the Morisora project in February 2023. In February, these partners agreed to form a joint venture to manufacture and sell bioethanol using wood biomass as a feedstock. Now JAL and Airbus have joined them.
One of JAL’s aims is to promote the use of domestically-produced SAF, and the airline has established a goal of replacing 10% of its aviation fuel with SAF by 2030. “By connecting the SAF suppliers with stakeholders involved in production, JAL will advance the construction of a [SAF] supply chain,” the carrier said.
Airbus will support efforts to obtain certification for the project’s use of woody biomass to produce SAF.
In February, the three founding companies said they aimed to establish a “semi-commercial” bioethanol plant at one of Nippon Paper’s mills. It would use GEI’s bioethanol production process to make bioethanol starting in 2027. The companies are targeting the subsequent establishment of a larger commercial plant.
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