Kazakhstan’s state-owned KazMunayGas JSC (KMG) is exploring the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), viewing it as a crucial component for the future of air transport, according to a report by Trend. Sustainable aviation fuel in Kazakhstan will help country to grow.
As per the news report, the announcement came after a meeting between KMG Chairman Askhat Kassenov and Rafael Schwartzman, Vice President of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
KMG has conducted an extensive market study and found that the growth of the aviation sector is closely tied to the widespread adoption of SAF. This initiative is in line with global efforts to curb carbon emissions, a goal Kazakhstan has committed to through the CORSIA framework, which seeks to offset and reduce emissions in international aviation.
Kassenov also highlighted that since 2020, Kazakhstan’s three oil refineries have been equipped to produce conventional Jet A-1 aviation fuel. However, a complete shift to SAF would necessitate a major overhaul of the country’s infrastructure, including oil depots and airports.
In a related development, Deputy Transport Minister Maksat Kaliakparov and Saltanat Tompiyeva, head of Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Committee, recently met with Schwartzman to discuss the transition of the country’s civil aviation sector to Jet A-1 fuel.