China’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAC) has inaugurated the nation’s inaugural technical center dedicated to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), as reported late Tuesday by the aviation regulator’s news channel. Located in Chengdu, in southwestern China, the new center will play a pivotal role in formulating industry policies, establishing standards for products, and ensuring stringent quality control measures, according to two SAF industry executives familiar with the launch.
China, ranked as the world’s second-largest aviation market and accounting for approximately 11% of global jet fuel consumption, is anticipated to unveil its 2030 policy on SAF usage later this year. This policy could potentially stimulate investments worth billions of dollars, as reported by Reuters in May.
Despite limited test flights, China currently does not commercially produce SAF for domestic consumption. Biofuel companies are investing over USD 1 billion in constructing the country’s first plants designed to convert waste cooking oil into aviation fuel, primarily for export purposes. These efforts aim to meet domestic demand once Beijing mandates SAF use in aircraft to reduce emissions.
CAAC’s objectives also include establishing a Chinese certification system for sustainable aviation fuel. The newly launched center is in the process of establishing testing facilities for innovative products, according to details shared on the regulator’s news platform. It is projected that China’s annual aviation fuel consumption will exceed 50 million metric tons by 2030, with SAF potentially accounting for 2.5 million tons annually.
SAF, derived from sustainably sourced renewable waste and residues such as used cooking oil, animal fat waste, or processed from renewable power-based hydrogen, represents a critical component in global efforts to reduce aviation-related carbon emissions.