KazMunayGas (KMG) plans to establish production of environmentally friendly aviation fuel (Sustainable Aviation Fuel, SAF) in Kazakhstan, Report informs referring to a KMG message.
“The possibility of creating SAF production in Kazakhstan was discussed by the Chairman of the Board of KazMunayGas Askhat Khasenov on June 20 with the management of the US technology company LanzaJet and the Japanese investment company Mitsui. Following the meeting, both foreign companies expressed interest in jointly implementing this project with KMG,” reads the message.
A preliminary feasibility study of the project for the construction of the SAF production complex in Kazakhstan was carried out on a joint initiative of KMG and Air Astana with the financial assistance of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The next stage is planned to develop a detailed feasibility study of the project.
Air Astana is currently studying the prospect of using SAF in its aircraft fleet. According to the concept of low-carbon development of Samruk-Kazyna JSC, the share of SAF consumption by this air carrier will gradually increase and will amount to 5% by 2040, 15% by 2050 and 25% by 2060, the report notes.
In addition, three large KMG refineries are ready to produce Jet A-1 aviation fuel, which will allow it to be blended with SAF in the future.
SAF is a sustainable aviation fuel that is an environmentally friendly version of Jet-1 fuel. Unlike conventional jet fuel, pure SAF reduces carbon emissions by 80%. SAF and Jet-1 are interchangeable, allowing them to be mixed in airport storage tanks with existing fuel. The US plans to move to 50 percent SAF utilization by 2050. European Union plans to do it starting from 2025 at 2%, increasing this figure to 5% from 2030 and to 63% in 2050.
LanzaJet recently opened LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels in the US, the world’s first SAF production facility, which plans to produce 1 billion gallons of SAF by 2030.