Praj demonstrates integrated ethanol-to-jet pathway for SAF with Axens’ Jetanol™ technology

Photo: Praj Industries

Praj Industries announced Jan. 29 that it has successfully demonstrated its ethanol-to-jet (ETJ) process utilizing Axens JetanolTM technology at its fully integrated sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) demonstration plant at Praj Matrix, its R&D center in Pune, India—marking what the company said is “a significant milestone in the global transition to low-carbon aviation fuels.”

The announcement was made by Maneesh Kumar, the joint director general and directorate general of civil aviation at Wings India 2026, India’s premier aviation-industry platform in the presence of other officials and key industry stakeholders of the SAF ecosystem.

The integrated SAF demo plant has now proven its technological readiness for both alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) pathways, Praj stated.

After successful demonstration on biobased isobutanol as the feedstock, the plant has now validated bioethanol as a feedstock under the ETJ pathway.

With this achievement, Praj said it has further strengthened the versatility and robustness of its feedstock-to-SAF technology portfolio.

Axens has been a strategic partner to Praj in advancing SAF through the ATJ route.

Axens has licensed Praj its Jetanol™ ATJ technology, including dehydration, oligomerization and hydrogenation steps, along with catalysts and technical support.

“This breakthrough achievement positions Praj as the first company globally to offer a fully integrated, end‑to‑end technology and engineering solution for the ATJ pathway, encompassing both isobutanol and ethanol,” the company stated.

Validated at demo‑plant scale and now ready for commercial deployment, Praj said the offering seamlessly integrates Axens’ proven technology with Praj’s world‑class technology, engineering and project-execution capabilities.

This development enables the conversion of ethanol into drop‑in SAF, compliant with ASTM D7566, that is fully compatible with existing aircraft engines and aviation infrastructure, marking a significant step toward accelerating the global transition to low‑carbon aviation.

Praj has previously demonstrated real-world SAF deployment in India, supporting the country’s first commercial passenger flight powered by SAF-blended aviation turbine fuel, when an AirAsia India flight operated from Pune to New Delhi using indigenously produced SAF supplied by Praj Industries in collaboration with Indian Oil.

“We are committed to advancing science-led, scalable solutions that support the decarbonization of the hard-to-abate aviation sector, energy security and global climate goals,” said Pramod Chaudhari, the founder chairman of Praj Industries. “With our indigenously developed integrated solutions now proven across both alcohol-to-jet and ethanol-to-jet pathways, Praj is well positioned to support oil-marketing companies and other stakeholders such as ethanol producers—both, sugarcane and grain-based—through flexible deployment models, including bolt-on solutions to existing assets as well as greenfield projects, enabling faster and scalable production of sustainable aviation fuel in line with emerging mandates.”

Quentin Debuisschert, the CEO and chairman of Axens’ board, added, “The successful demonstration of the ethanol‑to‑jet pathway via Axens Jetanol™ technology represents an important milestone for the SAF value chain. By combining Praj’s engineering capabilities with Axens’ proven, market‑ready technologies, we are jointly accelerating the deployment of reliable and scalable ETJ solutions. Our longstanding experience in process design, catalyst development and technology licensing enables us to support producers with de-risked pathways as they move towards higher SAF output and increasingly demanding regulatory frameworks.”

SAF is recognized worldwide as a key solution to reduce aviation’s lifecycle-carbon emissions, with aircraft manufacturers and airlines gearing up for broader uptake.

According to the International Air Transport Association’s net-zero roadmaps, global SAF demand will be upward of 500 million metric tons (600 billion liters).

Per IATA’s “Global Feedstock Assessment for SAF Production Outlook to 2050” report, technological readiness and rollout as well as capacity creation will be key to success as there are enough sustainable feedstocks available around the world.

SAF is central to civil aviation’s long-term decarbonization strategy and will be critical to meeting global emissions-reduction goals, notably under mechanisms such as CORSIA.

The importance of coordinated industry action has been underscored by the memorandum of understanding signed between Praj Industries, IATA and Indian Sugar & Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association to drive the certification and adoption of SAF in the country, with a focus on conducting a comprehensive lifecycle assessment (LCA) of SAF derived from Indian sugarcane feedstock via the ETJ pathway.

“Sustainable aviation fuel is essential to achieving aviation’s net-zero ambitions and will require rapid scale-up supported by policy certainty, feedstock availability and rapid technology development and use,” said Marie Owens Thomsen, the IATA’s chief economist. “Collaborative initiatives across the value chain, such as those bringing together airlines, fuel producers and technology providers are critical to translating SAF ambitions into commercially viable supply.”

Deepak Ballani of the Indian Sugar & Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association, added, “India’s potential for SAF production is both significant and strategic. Assessments referenced by the International Civil Aviation Organization indicate that the ATJ pathway presents the largest SAF opportunity for India and represents the next natural progression of the Indian sugar industry following the successful ethanol blending program. Building on this foundation, the recent ISMA–Deloitte ‘India’s SAF Roadmap’ highlights the potential of the sugar sector to produce 3.5 billion to 4 billion liters of SAF annually from first-generation bioethanol alone, within an overall national SAF production potential of 16 billion to 19 billion liters by 2040. This positions India to not only meet its domestic SAF blending requirements, but also to emerge as a competitive global SAF export hub. Leveraging India’s strong ethanol infrastructure through the ATJ pathway will be critical to unlocking this opportunity, and long-term policy certainty will help industry scale investment and production.”

Underscoring the government’s push for reforms, green technologies and a supportive policy ecosystem to propel the aviation industry forward, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a recent address at the IATA Annual General Meeting, “India has emerged as the third-largest domestic aviation market in the world and is witnessing historic advancements in connectivity, innovation and sustainability, reflecting the sector’s rapid growth and global relevance.”