NTT Data, FatHopes Energy to jointly develop UCO-collection support app

NTT Data Corp. announced Sept. 9 that it is collaborating with the Malaysian used cooking oil (UCO) collector FatHopes Energy on the joint development of a UCO-collection support application to promote the widespread use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The app will enable UCO generators and collectors to record the amount and location of collection, automatically generate application documents and assist with certification acquisition.

This, according to NTT Data, will resolve issues surrounding the procurement of SAF raw materials, improve collection efficiency and enhance traceability.

With the intent of expanding the app both domestically and internationally, the two companies seek to establish a stable supply system for SAF and accelerate efforts toward achieving carbon neutrality, including the circular economy.

SAF is considered one of the most effective ways to decarbonize the aviation industry and is being increasingly adopted worldwide.

Its widespread adoption faces challenges, however, such as ensuring a stable supply of raw materials such as UCO, streamlining collection and distribution and ensuring traceability.

NTT Data said it is focusing on SAF as it tackles environmental issues, including carbon neutrality.

In July 2024, the company joined Act for Sky, an industry group aiming to promote domestically produced SAF and is contributing to its promotion through the provision of a digital platform.

In January, Japan’s Aichi Prefecture Decarbonization Project adopted a project focused on locally produced SAF supply-chain development.

The company is working to address challenges related to the widespread use of SAF through digital technology.

Malaysia-based FatHopes Energy is leveraging advanced technologies such as internet-of-things (IOT)-based oil-level monitoring and automatic collection notification systems to improve the efficiency of UCO collection and build a supply network in Southeast Asia.

To promote the widespread use of domestically produced SAF, NTT Data and FatHopes Energy will combine NTT Data’s digital technology with the strengths of FatHopes Energy’s know-how and network to begin discussions on the joint development of a UCO-collection support app, as well as on linking the app with a traceability system that NTT Data is currently considering developing, starting Sept. 9.

The app will enable businesses that generate and collect UCO to record the amount and location of collection, automatically generate application documents, and support certification acquisition with the aim of improving the efficiency of UCO collection and ensuring traceability.

As a first step, NTT Data has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with FatHopes Energy and Revo International for a demonstration experiment in Aichi Prefecture in Japan.

“Through this demonstration experiment, we aim to build a locally produced and consumed SAF supply chain within Aichi Prefecture,” the company stated. “In addition, to address the social issue of preserving the global environment for the future, we will expand this model widely throughout Japan and globally, primarily in Asia, to contribute to the realization of carbon neutrality, including a circular economy for society as a whole.”