Mitsui and Taiyo team up on SAF and renewable diesel project with LanzaJet tech

In Japan, Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and Taiyo Oil Co., Ltd. have agreed to conduct a joint study concerning the production of ethanol-based sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel.

The purpose of this project is to build a reliable supply chain for high-quality SAF and RD in anticipation of future growth in demand for these fuels. The project will combine the Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) technology of the American company LanzaJet, Inc.,the plant operating expertise developed by Taiyo Oil and its subsidiary Nansei Sekiyu K.K. (“Nansei Sekiyu”) through their oil refining business, with Mitsui’s procurement capabilities of ethanol feedstock. The project aims to commence production in fiscal 2028 at a site owned by Nansei Sekiyu, with a maximum yearly output of 220,000 kiloliters of Japanese-made SAF/RD. SAF can be used as an aviation fuel, while RD is suitable for buses, trucks, and other means of transportation that use light diesel oil as their fuel.

In April 2023, this study was selected by the Okinawa General Bureau of the Cabinet Office as part of the FY2023 Okinawa Clean Energy Introduction Promotion Research Program.