EcoCeres, SF Group and China National Aviation Fuel collaborate to…
Hong Kong-based biofuels company EcoCeres has partnered with Chinese logistics company SF Group and China National Aviation Fuel (CNAF) to launch a customised sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) commercial fuelling programme.
As part of the initiative, SAF produced by EcoCeres would be blended by CNAF and supplied to outbound freighter flights operated by SF Airlines, EcoCeres said on 11 August.
The move would lead to a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to conventional jet fuel, according to the company.
“By integrating SAF into existing aviation fuel systems, we are working together with our partners to build a replicable, scalable and verifiable pathway for lower‑emissions air cargo development in China,” said James Tam, co-chairman of EcoCeres.
A cargo hub and a key aviation gateway under China’s 14th Five-Year Plan for Port Development, Ezhou Huahu International Airport in Hubei would play a central role in the project’s SAF fuelling and operations, EcoCeres said.
The programme also involved collaboration with the Second Research Institute of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CASRI).
The initiative followed EcoCeres’ SAF pilot programme in China, Project Spark.
In the initial phase, SAF produced at EcoCeres’ Zhangjiagang facility was blended by CNAF and used to fuel commercial flights at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport.
In addition to SAF, EcoCeres produces hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and bio-naphtha at industrial scale.