The transition of the aviation industry of Kazakhstan to the use of sustainable and environmentally friendly aviation fuel (SAF, Sustainable Aviation Fuel) became the central topic of the meeting held on November 8 at the site of KazMunayGas – Aero LLP within the framework of the thematic seminar “Green Airports” organized by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The discussion was attended by representatives of government agencies (the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan), and potential project participants – JSC NC KazMunayGas (KMG), KazMunayGas –Aero LLP (a subsidiary of KMG), JSC Air Astana, bioethanol production plant BioOperations, as well as representatives of the American company LanzaJet, Japan’s Mitsui&Co, Italy’s Maire Tecnimont and Vietnam’s Sovico Group.
The meeting participants discussed issues of cooperation and exchange of experience in the framework of the SAF program in Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan, having ratified the Paris Agreement and adopted a Carbon Neutrality Strategy until 2060, seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the aviation sector. Within the framework of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated February 2, 2023 No. 121, the development and production of SAF will become an important part of this strategy.
KMG intends to focus on consistent decarbonization activities, supporting the country’s goals of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. For this purpose, the KMG Low-Carbon Development Program for 2022-2031 has been adopted. The preliminary feasibility study of the SAF production complex construction project in Kazakhstan has already been successfully carried out on the initiative of KMG, with the participation of KazMunayGas – Aero LLP and Air Astana JSC, with financial assistance from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The next stage will be the development of a feasibility study of the project.
Recall that during the official visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to France on November 4-5 this year, KMG and the international company Axens signed an agreement on possible cooperation within the framework of the planned feasibility study of the project “Production of sustainable aviation fuel in Kazakhstan” in 2024-2025. Also, in the summer of 2024, KMG signed a memorandum of cooperation with the American company LanzaJet, which specializes in the production of SAF. And in early October in Milan, KazMunayGas – Aero LLP and NextChemcompany also signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of SAF development within the framework of the Kazakhstan – Italy international forum.
