Photo/Illutration Carriers for international flights face tougher regulations than previously on reducing carbon dioxide emissions. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Japan is in negotiations with Singapore and the United States to outline a framework for jointly procuring sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The government is hoping to bring the agreement into reality in two to three years as the global race for the biofuel is intensifying, thanks to expanded curbs on carbon dioxide emissions around the world.

“SAF is easy to use and there is a growing sense of urgency to strengthen the supply chain in terms of enhancing Japan’s economic security,” said Ryuichi Kurokawa, a senior researcher with the Japan Transport and Tourism Research Institute.

The International Civil Aviation Organization decided in October to achieve net-zero emissions for carbon dioxide for international flights by 2050.

In line with that goal, carriers in developed countries must achieve a 15-percent reduction of the emission levels seen in 2019 starting in 2024, guaranteeing the race to obtain SAF will further escalate in the years ahead.

The use of SAF--which is waste-derived aviation fuel comprising materials such as used cooking oil, algae and lumber--can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 80 percent when compared with conventional jet fuels.

But the output is extremely low. As of 2020, the production of SAF represented 0.03 percent of jet fuels being made.

The Japanese transport ministry is considering support measures to airline companies that have flights to Singapore and the United States.

Japan envisages a joint procurement of SAF under the initiative led by the governments, with carriers from the three countries concluding contracts with SAF producers together.

Jointly signing contracts with SAF production companies is expected to be less expensive than signing a deal as an individual carrier, thus helping to create a stable supply of the biofuel.

Japan is also considering setting up a consortium of airlines and SAF production companies for these countries and providing funds to it.

The transport ministry concluded a memorandum with Singapore’s aviation authorities in December to launch a study toward getting in the “green lane,” aimed at promoting the use of SAF on flights between Japan and Singapore.

Singapore hosts one plant from Neste Corp., a Finnish producer of SAF, which is expected to become one main supply base for the fuel in Asia.

Japanese transport authorities also met with their U.S. counterparts in January and are looking to work with other countries in the Pacific region over joint SAF procurement.

The move is also aimed at catching up with European countries, which are ahead in reducing their carbon footprints.

Air carriers are facing difficult times ahead due to tougher regulations to reduce emissions.

For example, carriers must purchase carbon quotas that exceed emission quotas or their flights to certain countries could be grounded due to a failure to meet the regulations there.

Japan Airlines Co. (JAL) previously set the target of cutting their carbon dioxide emissions by 10 percent by fiscal 2030 when compared with fiscal 2019 figures.

JAL officials now say they must move up the target year.

ANA Holdings Inc. plans to make SAF account for more than 10 percent of the fuel it uses in 2030. ANA Holdings is a holding company for the ANA Group, which includes All Nippon Airways (ANA).

It says it will review the plan, if necessary.

JAL and ANA are projected to spend tens of billions of yen together from 2024 to purchase SAF.

There are few SAF suppliers in the world, with only a handful of companies in Europe having begun commercial production. No Japanese companies are commercially producing SAF.

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