Chinese Researchers Push CO₂-to-Jet Fuel Innovation

(MENAFN) Chinese researchers are developing an emerging technology that may convert greenhouse gases into aviation fuel, potentially providing relief to the airline sector, which is facing pressure from escalating energy expenses, according to a report by a media outlet on Wednesday.

Scientists at the Shanghai Advanced Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Science have progressed their carbon dioxide transformation method beyond laboratory experiments, with the goal of scaling it up for industrial-level production.

Their research centers on converting carbon dioxide directly into long-chain hydrocarbons, which are essential components of jet fuel. The method essentially reverses the combustion process by merging waste gas with water to produce a high-energy liquid fuel.

This advancement arrives at a time when global jet fuel prices have surged sharply, influenced by geopolitical tensions, interruptions in supply chains, and increasing crude oil prices. Analysts associate this rise with instability in energy markets linked to the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Research published in ACS Catalysis, a leading peer-reviewed scientific journal issued by the American Chemical Society, indicates that the Chinese research team has achieved notable progress in addressing long-standing technical challenges.

For years, scientists have faced difficulties in efficiently extending carbon chains and selectively generating the longer molecular structures required for aviation fuel production at a commercial scale.

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