China's Domestic Airplanes "Drink" "Used Cooking Oil," Ushering in a New Era of Green Aviation

China's Domestic Airplanes "Drink" "Used Cooking Oil," Ushering in a New Era of Green AviationRecently, the ARJ21 regional aircraft and the C919 large passenger aircraft developed by COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) successfully completed their first test flights fueled by domestically produced bio-aviation fuel, marking a significant step forward for China in the field of green aviation. The bio-aviation fuel used in the test flights was derived from waste cooking oil, commonly known as "gutter oil," utilizing bio-aviation fuel production technology independently developed by Sinopec (China Petrochemical Corporation)

China's Domestic Airplanes "Drink" "Used Cooking Oil," Ushering in a New Era of Green Aviation

Recently, the ARJ21 regional aircraft and the C919 large passenger aircraft developed by COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) successfully completed their first test flights fueled by domestically produced bio-aviation fuel, marking a significant step forward for China in the field of green aviation. The bio-aviation fuel used in the test flights was derived from waste cooking oil, commonly known as "gutter oil," utilizing bio-aviation fuel production technology independently developed by Sinopec (China Petrochemical Corporation). Blended with traditional aviation fuel at a ratio of 40%, its various physical properties are consistent with traditional petroleum-based fuels, meeting national standards and industry requirements.

This successful test flight not only verified the compatibility and safety of domestically produced bio-aviation fuel with domestic commercial aircraft but also laid the foundation for the future large-scale commercial application of domestically produced bio-aviation fuel. So, why should domestic airplanes "drink" "gutter oil"? This initiative reflects the profound significance of the green and low-carbon transformation of China's aviation industry.

Bio-aviation fuel is a type of SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel), and the development of SAF to promote green and low-carbon transformation has become a new competitive track in the global aviation industry. Compared to traditional aviation fuel, bio-aviation fuel can reduce carbon emissions by more than 50% over its entire lifecycle, representing a crucial pathway towards achieving net-zero emissions in the aviation industry. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has set a goal of "achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050," and bio-aviation fuel is a key measure in reaching this target.

In recent years, bio-aviation fuel has gained widespread application globally. According to IATA statistics, from 2008 to the end of 2023, over 45 airlines and 370,000 flights have utilized bio-aviation fuel. In 2023, the European Parliament approved the RefuelEU aviation regulation, requiring that at least 2% of the fuel used by aircraft landing and taking off at EU airports must be "green fuel" by 2025, increasing to 70% by 2050. This policy will significantly promote the application of bio-aviation fuel in Europe, posing new challenges for China's civil aviation industry.

To meet this challenge, China actively participates in the bio-aviation fuel race, with a strong technological and policy foundation. China is the first country in Asia and the fourth globally to independently develop bio-aviation fuel technology. Sinopec officially launched the research and development of bio-aviation fuel in 2009, achieving a successful test flight in 2013. In 2014, it obtained China's first bio-aviation fuel production license and completed its first commercial passenger flight in 2015. Today, China's first 100,000-ton annual bio-aviation fuel production facility has been successfully put into large-scale production at Zhenhai Refining and Chemical Company.

On the policy front, the Chinese government attaches great importance to the development of bio-aviation fuel. "Bio-economy" has been included in the "14th Five-Year Plan." The "14th Five-Year Plan for Green Development of Civil Aviation" issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China explicitly proposes the goal of achieving a bio-aviation fuel consumption of over 20,000 tons by 2025, with plans to consume a total of 50,000 tons of bio-aviation fuel during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period.

Furthermore, China has abundant "gutter oil" supply, providing a rich source of raw materials for bio-aviation fuel production. A city with a population of 10 million people can recover approximately 10,000 tons of waste cooking oil per month, equivalent to 100,000 tons per year. Compared to global bio-diesel feedstocks, where about 67% are soybean oil, corn oil, and rapeseed oil, China's use of "gutter oil" to produce bio-fuel is more environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Transforming "gutter oil" into bio-aviation fuel not only reduces the risk of "gutter oil" returning to the food chain but also achieves the resource utilization of waste, turning waste into treasure and transforming harm into benefit.

Currently, enabling civil aviation aircraft to "drink" "gutter oil" still faces some challenges, primarily high prices and low production capacity.

The high price is attributed to high costs: transforming "gutter oil" into bio-aviation fuel involves a full process from recycling to processing, with an estimated cost approximately three times that of conventional aviation fuel.

Low production is due to insufficient existing production capacity: statistics show that China's existing SAF production capacity has reached 200,000 tons, with planned SAF capacity announced exceeding 3 million tons. However, compared to China's annual aviation fuel consumption of over 30 million tons, the SAF production scale is still relatively small.

To ensure the healthy development of the bio-aviation fuel industry, a two-pronged approach is crucial: on the one hand, increasing technological research and development efforts, encouraging production enterprises to collaborate with domestic universities and research institutions to achieve technological breakthroughs and reduce production costs; on the other hand, enhancing policy support, establishing a sound waste cooking oil recycling system, setting up related bio-aviation fuel standards and certification systems, and promoting its commercialization and large-scale application.

Looking ahead, enabling civil aviation aircraft to "drink up" "gutter oil" is poised to become a promising green industry, empowering China's aviation industry to achieve green and low-carbon transformation and contribute to the construction of a beautiful China.

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