China's SAF industry shows promise but faces cost, feedstock and certification barriers
Why It MattersChina's SAF scale-up depends on developing independent certification and expanding feedstock supply, shaping how quickly domestic bio-jet fuel can compete on cost with conventional jet fuel.
China has fully mastered sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production technology, but scaling the industry faces significant obstacles including limited feedstocks, high prices and dependence on foreign certification authorities, according to Tan Li, associate researcher at the Research Institute of Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection under the China Center for Information Industry Development.
China is the world's largest producer of waste cooking oil, with an estimated 5 to 6 million tonnes collectible annually, yet Tan said that feedstock base falls far short of the industry's long-term needs. Domestic SAF currently sells for 15,000 to 20,000 yuan per tonne, roughly 2,100 to 2,800 U.S. dollars, three to five times the cost of conventional jet fuel, making widespread adoption economically prohibitive.
Chinese producers also face a stringent, lengthy and costly certification process, as they must largely rely on U.S. or European authorities for product approval. Tan said China urgently needs its own independent certification system to reduce reliance on foreign agencies. A recent operation was noted as China's first full-chain application of domestically sourced bio-jet fuel, covering feedstock collection and processing through to refueling and carbon credit settlement.
SAF can be produced from materials such as used cooking oil, biomass waste and residues, and renewable energy sources, and can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by around 80 percent compared with conventional aviation fuel.
