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Informist, Wednesday, Jun. 11, 2025

 

--Source: India, Japan collaborating on sustainable aviation fuel

--Source: India to test-run Delhi-Tokyo flight on sustainable aviation fuel

 

By Afra Abubacker

 

NEW DELHI – In a first, India is preparing for a trial run of an international flight powered by sustainable aviation fuel from New Delhi to Tokyo, scheduled for late July or early August, a senior industry official said. The flight will run on a 1–2% blend of sustainable aviation fuel made in India. The upcoming international flight is being run in partnership with the Japanese government and a leading Japanese airline, the official said.

 

India and Japan have been collaborating on strengthening clean energy like green hydrogen and green ammonia. In May 2023, AirAsia operated a domestic flight from Pune to Delhi, powered by blended sustainable aviation fuel, which was supplied by Indian Oil Corp. Ltd., in partnership with Praj Industries Ltd. Sustainable aviation fuel is made from non-petroleum feedstock such as sugarcane, agricultural residue, and plant oil, which reduces emissions. It can be blended at different levels with jet fuel. 

 

Japan has set a 10% sustainable aviation fuel blending target by 2030 and is actively seeking reliable supply partners and carbon credit collaborations. "For Japan, carbon footprint is a make-or-break factor. Lower the carbon, the more attractive the deal," the official mentioned above said. A carbon market enables the buying, selling, transfer, and exchange of carbon credits. Companies can purchase carbon credits to offset their carbon emissions. 

 

To maximise carbon credit benefits, Japan prefers the supply of sustainable aviation fuel made from second-generation ethanol. "The ethanol used will not come from sugarcane juice but from bagasse," he said. Bagasse is the fibrous residue left after extracting juice from sugarcane. Second-generation ethanol uses agricultural waste, unlike first-generation ethanol, which is made from food crops. 

 

Earlier this month, Praj Industries signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Air Transport Association and the Indian Sugar & Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association to promote the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel. The three players will work to define and recommend a certification methodology suited to the Indian context, but aligned with international sustainability and emissions reduction standards. On Wednesday, shares of Praj Industries closed at INR 516.35, down 1.9% from the previous close on the National Stock Exchange. 

 

The memorandum of understanding aims to determine an accurate carbon intensity number--the amount of carbon emission produced per unit of energy generated--for sustainable aviation fuel produced using Indian sugarcane. India's sugarcane-based ethanol likely has one of the lowest carbon intensity values globally, according to the official. This makes Indian sustainable aviation fuel appealing in global carbon markets.

 

Japanese institutions such as the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization are exploring funding opportunities for sustainable aviation fuel projects in India, he added. Japanese companies like Suzuki Motor Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp. are already engaged in India's flexible fuel vehicle market. The upcoming green flight to Tokyo is expected to showcase India's effort to produce sustainable aviation fuel amid rising global demand to reduce emissions in the aviation sector.  End

 

Edited by Tanima Banerjee

 

 

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