New Delhi: India's first commercial passenger flight utilising locally produced Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blend was successfully flown earlier on Friday, said the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in a statement. Further, it added that this is a significant achievement towards the decarbonisation of the aviation sector.
"Air Asia flight (I5 767) flew from Pune to Delhi powered by SAF blended aviation turbine fuel (ATF) supplied by Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) in partnership with Praj Industries Ltd (Praj). The Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri received this special flight at the airport," the statement added.
Puri described the event as a crucial turning point in the nation's efforts to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2070, saying, “I am glad to witness this historic occasion and receive the first commercial flight fuelled by SAF blended ATF. This would be the first domestic commercial passenger flight with SAF blending up to one percent as demonstration mode."
“By 2025, if we target to blend one percent SAF blending in Jet fuel, India would require around 14 crore litres of SAF per annum. More ambitiously, if we target for five percent SAF blend, India required around 70 crore litres of SAF per annum," the Minister informed.
Highlighting the need for alternative and sustainable fuel sources, Hardeep Singh Puri said, “In recent years SAF production technology has progressed significantly. Unlike traditional jet fuels, SAF is produced from renewable sources such as agricultural waste, municipal solid waste, and forestry residues. This means that SAF has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80 percent compared to conventional jet fuel."
“Production of SAF using sugarcane molasses as indigenous feedstock and technology in India is a major step towards self-reliance and decarbonisation of the aviation sector in line with our commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2070. To achieve Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs, i.e., commitment to reduce the Emissions Intensity of its GDP by 45 percent by 2030, from 2005 level), India is one of the strongest voices in the world for energy transition, and alternative energy, such as Biofuels," the minister added.
Further, the minister said that the aviation sector consumed around 8 million tonnes of ATF and emitted around 20 million tons of GHGs in 2019 (pre-COVID). “India has feedstock for potential production of 19 to 24 million tonnes of SAF per year, whereas the estimated maximum requirement of SAF in India, considering 50 percent blend, will be around 8 to 10 million tonnes per year by 2030."
The minister also said that "using Indigenous biological feedstock (Sugarcane molasses) will not only boost rural economy but also help farmers to get additional income. By one percent SAF blending, more than 5 lakh farmers get benefitted by supplying sugarcane as feedstock. Additionally, more than one lakh green jobs will be generated."
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