Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways join forces on sustainable aviation fuels

October 11th 2021

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Japanese and foreign airlines servicing Japan will require 2.3 million kilolitres of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2050 to achieve net-zero CO₂ emissions, according to a joint report by All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL). Read More » The report saw the companies jointly assess the benefits and features of SAF, how much would be required and the current logistical situation regarding the production, distribution and utilization of the fuel. They hope that systematic analysis of the main issues facing the Japanese aviation industry, as it moves towards reduced carbon emissions, will help set up a roadmap to sustainability. The study confirmed findings that SAFs can reduce life cycle CO₂ emissions by about 80% compared with conventional fuels and said this made them essential to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. It also found full compatibility of SAFs with existing fuelling equipment at airports and other infrastructure would ease the transition. But with current global production at 0.03% of demand the study said, there was a need for increased production and technological development through heightened cooperation and collaboration with industries connected to aviation to reach a target of 10% SAF fuel use by 2030. The airlines noted the production and commercialisation of SAF in the Asia-Pacific was in its early stages compared with the U.S. and Europe. “However, the SAF market in Asia is expected to reach approximately 22 trillion yen (US$195.6 billion) as air transportation demand is expected to grow significantly in the future,’’ it said. ANA and JAL have joined the World Economic Forum’s “Clean Skies for Tomorrow Coalition” and co-signed the 2030 Ambition Statement pledging to cooperate in increasing the share of SAF in the global aviation industry to 10% by 2030.