How is ethanol used in Sustainable Aviation Fuel?
An Air France aircraft operated with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is refuelled before its first flight from Nice to Paris at Nice airport, France, October 1, 2021.
| Photo Credit: REUTERS
An Indian government notification on April 17 tapped ethanol to make Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Aviation has been hard to decarbonise because aircraft can’t use batteries or hydrogen at commercial scale yet, leaving SAF to be the primary way to comply with international emissions frameworks.
To be usable in jet engines, however, ethanol is subject to a process called alcohol-to-jet (ATJ). It is dehydrated, has its hydrocarbon chains lengthened, and hydrogenated.
Published – April 24, 2026 03:39 pm IST
