Cathay Pacific, SPIC sign MOU for sustainable aviation fuel supply chain

This involves four SAF plants that are expected to be commissioned from 2024 to 2026.

Cathay Pacific and the State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) entered into a memorandum of understanding for the development of a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supply chain in China.

In a statement, Cathay said the memorandum will cover four SAF plants under SPIC, the largest state-owned energy firm in Mainland China. 

The four plants, which will convert renewable electricity into liquid fuels, are expected to start operations between 2024 and 2026 and can produce 50,000 to 100,000 tonnes of SAF each annually. 

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“Cathay Pacific has a target of using SAF for 10% of its total fuel consumption by

2030, which is a core component towards reaching our goal of net-zero carbon

emissions by 2050,” said Cathay Pacific Group CEO Ronald Lam. 

“This collaboration brings together the complementary advantages of SPIC’s strengths in the field of clean energy with Cathay Pacific’s expertise as an end-user of SAF,” he added.

Under the memorandum, Lam said Cathay Pacific will share its international experience and feedback on the certification process of SAF, value chain and overall market know-how “to facilitate SPIC in the successful establishment of four SAF plants in Chinese Mainland.”