Publication Highlights How Middle East’s Existing Infrastructure, Investment Capacity and Research Expertise Could Catalyze Large-Scale Development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel
A new Nature article by Khalifa University’s Professor Samuel S. Mao and Cranfield University’s Dr. Ying Jiang proposes a strategic pathway for the Middle East to become a global hub for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), leveraging the region’s existing energy infrastructure, aviation networks and investment capacity.
The three-page article was printed in the magazine’s Comment section, a segment publishing generally agenda-setting, authoritative, informed and expert studies. Moving beyond identifying the challenge, the agenda-setting techno-economic study provides a detailed roadmap for action, outlining how the region’s infrastructure, investment capacity, research expertise and global partnerships could be mobilized to build a sustainable aviation fuel ecosystem.
Central to the article is a proposal to establish a regional SAF clearing house to coordinate fuel testing, certification, sustainability assurance and technology evaluation across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. The proposed platform could bring together universities, research institutions, governments, international standards bodies, investors and technology developers to help promising SAF technologies progress from laboratory development to commercial deployment.
The article, titled ‘How the Middle East can become a hub for sustainable aviation fuels,’ was co-authored by Professor Samuel Mao, Senior Director, Khalifa University’s Resource Management & Sustainability Institute and Professor, Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Khalifa University and Dr. Ying Jiang, Senior Lecturer and a researcher in bioenergy, Cranfield University, UK.
The clearing-house proposal builds on the Middle East’s global aviation networks, advanced energy infrastructure and investment capacity. It also aligns with the mission of Khalifa University’s Resource Management & Sustainability Institute, led by Professor Mao, to advance interdisciplinary sustainability research and partnerships.
Professor Ahmed Al-Durra, Associate Provost for Research, Khalifa University, said: “Developing sustainable aviation fuel requires coordinated expertise across engineering, energy systems, sustainability, policy and commercialization. This article shows how the Middle East can build on its existing strengths, with Khalifa University contributing its expertise while working alongside universities, industry, government and international partners to advance this shared opportunity.”
SAF can be produced from sources including waste oils and fats, agricultural residues, industrial waste gases, wastewater sludge and synthetic feedstocks. It is considered an important near-term option for reducing aviation emissions, particularly for long-haul flights, for which battery-electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft are not yet commercially available at scale. However, SAF currently accounts for less than 1% of global jet-fuel consumption. The authors emphasize that closing this gap will require investment, policy support, credible sustainability standards and collaboration among governments, industry, research institutions and technology developers.
Professor Mao said: “The Middle East, particularly the UAE, already possesses world-class energy infrastructure, international aviation and shipping networks, investment capacity and extensive experience in managing complex global energy supply chains. Our article considers how these established strengths could be strategically adapted to support a low-carbon fuel economy. With strong partnerships, rigorous sustainability safeguards and carefully directed investment, the Middle East could connect feedstock producers, technology developers and major aviation markets while creating new economic and innovation opportunities.”
The authors also propose using otherwise underutilized return journeys of oil tankers to transport SAF feedstocks or finished fuels. This backhaul capacity could improve shipping efficiency and connect regions with abundant sustainable feedstocks to processing and distribution operations in the Middle East. They also recommend diversifying feedstock sources and production locations to reduce exposure to climate disruption, policy changes and supply-chain shocks.
The authors conclude that coordinated action across research, policy, investment and industry will be essential to transform the region’s existing strengths into a credible SAF sector.
Link to the article: https://rdcu.be/fAuwd
