On March 26th, according to China Science Daily, Sinopec and TotalEnergies signed a framework cooperation agreement (HoA) in Beijing. They will jointly produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at a Sinopec refinery using waste oils, with an annual production capacity of 230,000 tons. The new production line will be operated jointly by Sinopec and TotalEnergies.
Mr. Ma Yongsheng, Chairman of Sinopec, stated that the two parties are important partners to each other, and this cooperation holds milestone significance. Sinopec possesses proprietary technology for producing biojet fuel (SRJET) and is committed to improving the quality and efficiency of its asset portfolio. TotalEnergies, as one of Europe's leading sustainable aviation fuel producers, will provide better green and low-carbon solutions for China and the world through this collaboration.
Mr. Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, expressed great pleasure in cooperating with Sinopec, a major player in the global refining industry, to produce sustainable aviation fuel in China and build a sustainable aviation fuel value chain. The development of sustainable aviation fuel projects is at the core of TotalEnergies' transformation strategy, serving the aviation industry's need to reduce carbon footprint. The company has set a target to produce 1.5 million tons of sustainable aviation fuel annually by 2030.
Biojet fuel is a type of sustainable aviation fuel produced from renewable resources. Compared to traditional petroleum-based aviation fuel, biojet fuel can reduce lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions by over 50%.
It is reported that Sinopec has been committed to promoting the development of China's biojet fuel industry for many years. In 2009, Sinopec successfully developed proprietary technology for biojet fuel production and first produced qualified biojet fuel in December 2011. In April 2013, Sinopec's biojet fuel successfully conducted trial flights at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, followed by commercial flights on domestic routes from Shanghai to Beijing in 2015 and transoceanic flights from Beijing to Chicago in 2017. China became the first in Asia and the fourth in the world to possess independently developed biojet fuel technology. In May 2022, China's first 100,000-ton/year biojet fuel industrial unit conducted its first batch of large-scale trial production at Zhenhai Refining and Chemical, obtaining the first RSB biomass sustainable aviation fuel certification in Asia. In September of the same year, the first batch of large-scale production of biojet fuel in China obtained airworthiness certification.
Live scene of signing ceremony. Image provided by Sinopec.
