Jun. 17, 2024Marubeni Corporation
Marubeni has begun supplying Sustainable Aviation Fuel*1 (SAF) produced by the co-processing pathway, which processes petroleum-derived and bio-based feedstocks simultaneously, within Japan. Marubeni procured SAF derived from vegetable oil (used cooking oil) that was produced by HD Hyundai Oilbank, a Korean oil refining company, at its refinery, and supplied it to All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. at the Chiba terminal of Marubeni Ennex Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Marubeni. This is the first time that SAF based on the co-processing pathway has been supplied within Japan.
The Environment Surrounding the Aviation IndustryThe aviation industry is currently facing an urgent need to reduce CO2 emissions throughout the world, and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has accordingly introduced a CO2 emission reduction system.*2 Given this new system’s implementation and the Japanese government’s target to increase Japan’s SAF blended ratio in aviation fuel from to 10% by 2030, the demand for SAF, a fuel with great potential as a new-generation low-carbon fuel to reduce CO2 emissions, is expected to grow.
What is the Co-Processing Pathway Method?The co-processing pathway is a method used to produce partly bio-derived petroleum products by mixing petroleum-derived and bio-derived feedstock such as vegetable oil (used cooking oil) and inputting them into existing refinery units. Existing units can be used to co-process feedstock without large-scale renovation work, thus allowing for lower capital investment expenditures and an earlier start of SAF production. Therefore, utilizing the co-processing pathway is expected to be an effective option during the transition period until new SAF production facilities are operational and widespread.
Future OutlookMarubeni formulated its long-term climate change vision in March 2021 and has positioned its green strategy as one of the basic policies for enhancing corporate value in its mid-term management strategy GC2024. Going forward, Marubeni aims to continue making medium- to long-term contributions to global climate change measures, including the decarbonization of the aviation industry by further expanding its SAF sales network.
1 Jet fuel that is not derived from fossil fuels and whose total lifecycle CO2 emission volume is lower than fossil fuels.
2 In 2016, the ICAO adopted the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (hereinafter, “CORSIA”). Under CORSIA, airlines are obligated to procure CO2 emission credit and offset carbon emissions if their CO2 emission volumes exceed the given limits, so that their CO2 emission amounts in their entirety do not increase from the ones recorded in 2021.
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