Kazakhstan moves toward domestic production of green aviation fuel

Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov met with Jimmy Samartzis, CEO of U.S.-based LanzaJet, and Stephane Thion, Vice President of Commercial Operations, to discuss the development of industrial and technological partnerships, Kazinform reported.

The talks focused on the localisation of advanced technologies to implement a joint project for the production of environmentally friendly aviation fuel. A key component of the discussion was the proposed construction of a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) plant in Rudny, Kostanay region.

LanzaJet has developed technology to produce SAF from ethanol, derived from various feedstocks, including organic materials such as grains, corn, and potatoes. The planned facility is expected to produce 54,000 tons of SAF per year and process up to 100,000 tons of bioethanol annually. A feasibility study for the plant has already been completed.

The project aims to advance green aviation and promote deep processing in the agricultural sector. Production of biofuel will also contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, aligning with Kazakhstan’s key climate and energy priorities.

During the meeting, participants reviewed the main directions of the SAF project, and LanzaJet’s leadership proposed exploring the creation of an integrated structure to jointly implement the initiative.

By Khagan Isayev