A voluntary organisation has been formed in Japan today to promote the use of domestically produced sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the country, where feedstock supply and stable supply chains require development, it said.

The ‘Act for Sky' group aims to promote the decarbonisation of the aviation sector, raise government awareness and education, communicate global SAF information on supply chains and promotion, and identify common issues. The group said it will focus on Japan, as Europe and the US have more developed SAF production.

The four founding companies — Japan Airlines, biodiesel producer Revo International, Japanese engineering firm JGC and All Nippon Airways — will co-ordinate the other 12 members.

Members include used cooking oil (UCO) suppliers Cosmo Oil, SAF technology firm Itochu, and SAF producers Eneos and Toyo Engineering.

While there is no SAF mandate for national and international flights in Japan, the country is focusing on commercialising domestically produced biojet as its main transport biofuels strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030.

Japanese trading company Itochu said last month that it will distribute Neste's branded SAF at Tokyo Haneda and Narita airports, expanding the firms' collaboration in Japan.