India will require 14 cr litre of SAF/annum to achieve 1% blending in jet fuel by 2025: Puri
3 min read 19 May 2023, 09:20 PM ISTOn April 20, Mint reported that government is considering issuing a directive mandating airlines to use blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2025.
PremiumNew Delhi: Union minister for petroleum and natural gas Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday said that India will required around 14 crore litre of sustainable aviation fuel per annum to achieve 1% blending in jet fuel by 2025.
“By 2025, if we target to blend 1% SAF blending in Jet fuel, India would require around 14 crore litre of SAF/annum. More ambitiously, if we target for 5% SAF blend, India required around 70 crore litre of SAF/ annum,“ he said.
During a gathering in New Delhi, Puri emphasized the importance of India’s vision to become energy self-reliant by 2047, aligning with the mandate set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He addressed industry leaders and media professionals, accompanied by Pankaj Jain, Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
On April 20, Mint reported that government is considering issuing a directive mandating airlines to use blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2025.
India recently achieved a significant milestone in its journey towards decarbonizing the aviation sector, successfully conducting its first commercial passenger flight powered by an indigenously produced Sustainable Aviation Fuel blend. The Air Asia flight (I5 767), flying from Pune to Delhi, utilized SAF blended aviation turbine fuel supplied by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. in collaboration with Praj Industries Ltd. Minister Puri personally received the flight upon its arrival at the airport.
Describing the occasion as historic, Puri hailed it as the first domestic commercial passenger flight featuring SAF blending up to 1% in demonstration mode. He highlighted the substantial volume of SAF production required to reach the 1% blending target by 2025, amounting to around 140 million liters per year. Furthermore, Minister Puri presented a more ambitious goal of achieving a 5% SAF blend, which would necessitate approximately 700 million liters of SAF annually.
Congratulating Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., Air Asia, and Praj Industries for their contributions, Minister Puri reiterated Prime Minister Modi’s vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India). He emphasized the development of indigenous solutions to mitigate the environmental impact of aviation and pave the way for the widespread adoption of SAF throughout the country. Notably, Shri S M Vaidya, Chairman of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., Shri Aloke Singh, Managing Director of Air Asia, and Dr. Aloke Singh, Managing Director of Praj Industries, were present at the event.
The minister underscored the need for alternative and sustainable fuel sources, highlighting the significant advancements made in SAF production technology in recent years. Unlike traditional jet fuels, SAF is derived from renewable sources such as agricultural waste, municipal solid waste, and forestry residues. This unique characteristic positions SAF as a potential solution capable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel.
Aligning with India’s commitment to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2070, Minister Puri emphasized the use of sugarcane molasses as an indigenous feedstock for SAF production. He highlighted the significance of this approach in promoting self-reliance and decarbonization of the aviation sector. Puri further emphasized India’s strong advocacy for energy transition and alternative energy, particularly biofuels, as part of the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions.
He also shed light on the civil aviation sector in India, revealing that it consumed approximately 8 million tons of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) and emitted around 20 million tons of greenhouse gases in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. India possesses the feedstock potential to produce 19 to 24 million tons of SAF per year. By 2030, the estimated maximum SAF requirement, assuming a 50% blend, is projected to be around 8 to 10 million tons per year.
Speaking with pride on this momentous occasion, Puri emphasized that the utilization of indigenous biological feedstock like sugarcane molasses would not only boost the rural economy but also provide additional income to farmers. The blending of 1% SAF alone would benefit over 500,000 farmers by creating a demand for their sugarcane supply. Additionally, this initiative has the potential to generate over 100,000 green jobs. He expressed confidence that this step towards self-reliance could transform India into an international hub for sustainable aviation fuel.
