Marubeni Corporation recently announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Japan Airlines, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, China Timber Corporation, The Boeing Company, and the Ohayashi Group to initiate a pre-commercialization pre-feasibility study for the manufacture and sale of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), Bio-Naphtha and Renewable Diesel using forest residues in Japan.
The study plans to use Cat-HTR™ technology developed by Australian technology company Licella, an advanced hydrothermal liquefaction platform that converts wood residues into bio-intermediate oil. The bio-oil will then be reprocessed and refined for the production of SAF, bio-naphtha and renewable diesel, thereby establishing a local green fuel supply chain in Japan and realizing the “local production, local sales” model.
The study will evaluate the economic feasibility of the project, analyzing the feedstock supply and processing system, production process, product logistics and carbon reduction. The study is expected to continue until December this year, with commercialization planned for around 2030, depending on the progress of the study.
The participants will pool their expertise and experience to promote the production of sustainable products in Japan, create new industries centered on forest resources, and contribute to local revitalization. By promoting the recycling of forest resources, the project also hopes to address current issues facing Japan’s forestry industry, such as carbon fixation, water conservation, and disaster prevention.
According to Marubeni, Japan’s rich forest resources have extensive development potential, especially the large amount of mesquite and residue produced during the wood utilization process, which is expected to become an important source of sustainable raw materials. In addition, with the rise of large-scale wooden buildings, the opportunity to utilize the related wood residue resources will also increase.
