Nippon Paper Industries Company Limited, Sumitomo Corporation, Green Earth Institute Company Limited, Japan Airlines (JAL) and Airbus will work on commercial production and sale of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) made from bioethanol using domestic wood.
Mar 18, 2025
Image Source: Sumitomo Corporation
Nippon Paper Industries Company Limited, Sumitomo Corporation, Green Earth Institute Company Limited, Japan Airlines (JAL) and Airbus have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the commercial production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using bioethanol from woody biomass.
On February 3, 2023, Nippon Paper, Sumitomo Corporation and GEI announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on ‘Collaboration for the First Commercial Production of Cellulosic Bioethanol from Woody Biomass in Japan and Its Development into Bio-chemical Products’.
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The companies constructed a semi-commercial plant at Nippon Paper’s Iwanuma Mill in Miyagi Prefecture to produce over 1,000 kL of bioethanol using GEI’s proprietary low-carbon, cost-efficient bioethanol production process on sustainable forest resources from the Tohoku region, such as wood scraps from sawmills.
On February 17, 2025, Nippon Paper, Sumitomo Corporation and GEI reached an agreement to establish a joint venture company, Morisora Bio Refinery LLC, to focus on the production and sale of bioethanol and biochemicals derived from woody biomass. JAL and Airbus have also joined the project.
The five companies will work to enable a low-carbon society by reducing greenhouse gas emissions during raw material procurement and production. They will produce and sell domestic wood-based bioethanol, which not only has a low life cycle assessment (LCA), but is also compliant with the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).
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JAL aims to promote domestically produced SAF and has set a goal of replacing 10 percent of all onboard fuel with SAF by 2030. By connecting the SAF suppliers with stakeholders involved in production, JAL will advance the construction of a supply chain. Airbus will support the work to obtain the CORSIA certification for the domestic woody biomass of this project and contribute to the industry target to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The five companies will mutually leverage their strengths to produce and promote domestic SAF made from bioethanol using domestic wood, aiming to create a decarbonized society and revitalize local communities through resource circulation and work towards a sustainable future.
