Representative Mo Dingge of the two sessions: Implement the "dual carbon" strategy and develop sustainable aviation fuel
In the context of "dual carbon", sustainable aviation fuel is the most feasible key path for carbon emission reduction in the aviation industry, but the supply and demand market of China's sustainable aviation fuel industry has not yet been fully activated.
On the occasion of the convening of the National People's Congress and the National People's Congress in 2024, Mo Dingge, a deputy to the National People's Congress and chairman of Sinopec Ningbo Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Co., Ltd., pointed out in an interview with reporters that it is recommended to accelerate the establishment of a large-scale and efficient supply system of bio-based raw materials, establish and improve the standards and certification systems based on the current situation of China's resources and production processes, and guide the high-quality development of the sustainable aviation fuel industry.
It is understood that the EU has made it clear that the blending ratio of sustainable aviation fuel will be 2% from 2025 and increased to 6% in 2030, and it is planned that from 2027, flights to Europe must meet the requirements of sustainable aviation fuel blending ratio, otherwise a fine of 2 times the price difference between sustainable aviation fuel and fossil aviation fuel will be imposed. The United States has issued similar pledges. Sustainable aviation fuel has formed a global consensus, China's aviation market is developing strongly, and the aviation industry is facing severe challenges in carbon emission reduction. Sinopec has been actively implementing the green and low-carbon development strategy, developing bio-jet fuel production technology with independent intellectual property rights, and China's first 100,000 tons/year bio-jet fuel industrial unit has been produced on a large scale in Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Co., Ltd., and has been awarded the first global RSB biomass sustainable aviation fuel certification in Asia.
Mo Dingge pointed out that the sustainable aviation fuel production capacity in Europe, the United States and the Asia-Pacific region is expected to reach 10 million tons per year in 2025, and only two domestic companies have the production capacity of sustainable aviation fuel using waste oil as raw material, and the production capacity is limited. In addition, at present, China's waste oil is mainly exported directly as industrial-grade mixed oil or processed into biodiesel and exported to Europe and the United States, accounting for about 90% of the export, carbon emissions remain in China, and carbon reduction indicators flow abroad, which is not conducive to the realization of China's "double carbon" goal.
Mo Dingge suggested building a sustainable aviation fuel industry system that fits China's reality. The first is to accelerate the establishment of a large-scale and efficient supply system for bio-based raw materials such as waste oils and fats. At present, bio-based raw materials mainly rely on local enterprises and institutions to recycle and sell, and the resources are scattered and the market supervision is difficult. It is recommended to strengthen the qualification certification of bio-based raw material recycling enterprises, encourage central enterprises, state-owned enterprises and large private enterprises with large-scale processing capacity to participate in the raw material recycling business, and improve industrial concentration and the ability to coordinate bio-based raw material resources.
The second is to accelerate the establishment of China's independent and controllable sustainable certification system. Independently establish and improve the whole life cycle carbon emission accounting method and standard based on the current situation and production process of China's sustainable aviation fuel resources, the renewable raw materials and fuel database that can be tracked and traced, as well as the sustainable fuel evaluation standards, product standards, certification specification system, airworthiness certification standards, etc., to achieve international mutual recognition and break the status quo of sustainable certification and full life cycle carbon emission accounting being controlled by others.
The third is to improve the industrial policy support system and promote the healthy development of the sustainable aviation fuel industry. Refer to the relevant policies of domestic bioethanol and biodiesel, further improve the tax support policies for the sustainable aviation fuel industry chain, formulate a carbon emission reduction roadmap for the aviation industry, put forward mandatory or guided targets and plans for the blending ratio of sustainable aviation fuel, establish and improve the SAF carbon certificate trading system and operation system, and include the civil aviation industry in the national carbon trading market to support the healthy development of the sustainable fuel industry.
