From August 19 to 21, the First SAF Technology Innovation and Industrial Development Exchange Conference and the Launching Conference of Industry Alliance hosted by the Second Research Institute of Civil Aviation of China and China National Aviation Fuel Group, was held in Chengdu. The conference aimed to establish and improve a regular communication mechanism across the industry chain, facilitate deep integration of policies, technologies, and markets in the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry, and promote green and low-carbon transformation of the civil aviation industry. Liang Nan, Deputy Administrator of CAAC, attended the conference and delivered a speech. The conference also brought together guests from the Sichuan Provincial Government, relevant departments of CAAC, research institutions, SAF refining enterprises, technology providers, aircraft manufacturers, airlines, airports, and industrial associations.
The conference featured keynote speeches and multiple round-table discussions on key areas such as the safety and airworthiness of SAF, diversified raw materials, advanced technology, environmental friendliness, and economic feasibility, with participants actively sharing research experience and outcomes. The conference concluded that promoting the application of SAF is the primary direction for driving deep decarbonization in civil aviation. It emphasized the need to balance between high-quality development and high-level environmental protection, leverage the roles of an effective market and proactive government, address challenges, meet demands, drive innovation and reform, and focus on coordinated efforts. Based on China's resource endowment, technological characteristics, and industrial layout, the conference called for advancement of high-quality development of SAF in the country.
During the conference, the China SAF Industry Alliance was officially launched, and its first general meeting of alliance members and council meeting were successfully held. The alliance focuses on collaborative innovation across industry, academia, research, and application, striving to promote cross-sector and cross-industry integration as well as actively exploring the convergence of civil aviation and energy. It was reported that the founding members includes 57 entities, covering upstream and downstream enterprises in the following fields: the aviation fuel production and supply chain, aeronautic manufacturing, air transportation, as well as research institutions and industry associations.
Additionally, it was revealed that the SAF application pilot program, launched last September, has achieved phased results. Domestically produced SAF has demonstrated safety and airworthiness, with over 120,000 pilot flights operating smoothly. The National Development and Reform Commission and CAAC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Commerce, the National Energy Administration, and other departments, are actively advancing policy frameworks and standard development based on the pilot program. Efforts to form policy synergy are accelerating, laying a solid foundation for the coordinated advancement of SAF development and the promotion of green and low-carbon transformation in civil aviation.
