LanzaJet, a leading sustainable fuels technology company and sustainable fuels producer, has announced that Cosmo Oil Co. Ltd (Cosmo Oil) has been selected for a FY2024 subsidy from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to support a project developed with Mitsui & Co. (Mitsui) that will plan to utilise LanzaJet technology.
This funding marks a significant milestone for large scale domestic sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production in Japan and increasing SAF supply for the aviation industry.
“Today’s announcement signifies an important milestone for SAF production and scaling of the industry in Japan. LanzaJet’s proprietary alcohol-to-jet technology is helping governments worldwide as well as the global aviation industry meet ambitious demands for sustainable growth and alternative fuels goals,” said Jimmy Samartzis, CEO of LanzaJet. “In support of Cosmo Oil, Mitsui & Co., and the Japanese government, we look forward to accelerating the development of domestic SAF and advancing an energy-diverse aviation sector.”
Global demand for SAF is expected to grow rapidly, and Japan has set a goal to diversify 10% of petroleum-based fuels with alternatives by 2030. Planning on utilising LanzaJet’s proprietary ethanol to SAF technology, Cosmo Oil intends to leverage the company’s expertise in plant operations, fuel quality control, and logistics with Mitsui’s capabilities in ethanol procurement to develop the project, which will establish a large scale SAF production facility and create new business opportunities within Japan’s growing biofuels sector.
Upon completion, the project will produce approximately 150,000 kl of SAF and 17 000 kl of renewable diesel annually at the Sakaide Logistics Base starting in 2029.