China to start building UCO aviation biofuel facility next year

In China, Sinopec’s Zhenhai Refining and Chemical announced it will begin construction next year of a 30,000 metric ton aviation biofuel production facility using used cooking oil as feedstock. The facility requires 100,000 tons of UCO for the commercial-scale facility. The fuel is intended for airlines flying to international destinations with high carbon taxes, such as Europe that is contemplating the integration of the aviation industry into its cap and trade system. In anticipation of the European policy shift, Sinopect started work on the technology in 2011.