Establishing "J-BAS," an Industry-Academia Collaboration Consortium to Promote Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

The Japan Society of Industrial Machinery Manufacturers (hereinafter referred to as "the Association") is pleased to announce the establishment of "J-BAS" (Japan Bio Alcohol from Sorghum), an industry-academia collaboration consortium aimed at building a domestic manufacturing process for affordable bioethanol from sorghum. This initiative seeks to expand the supply of SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) and contribute to the realization of a carbon-neutral society.

 

1. Background of J-BAS Establishment

Currently, the aviation industry is in the midst of a global trend towards decarbonization. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have set ambitious targets to halve carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 compared to 2005 levels.

  

To achieve this, it is essential to transition 10% of fuel used to SAF by 2030, and the Japanese government (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) has also formulated a clear goal to "replace 10% of fuel used by Japanese airlines with SAF."

  

However, as of 2020, the global SAF supply accounts for only 0.03% of total jet fuel, and the supply-demand gap remains extremely large. To bridge this gap, establishing innovative manufacturing technologies and a stable domestic supply system is an urgent task.

 

  

2. J-BAS Mission: Reconstructing Bioethanol Manufacturing from a Monozukuri Perspective

J-BAS will reconstruct the conventional bioethanol manufacturing process from a "monozukuri" (craftsmanship/manufacturing) perspective, focusing on establishing technology development that leads to plant demonstration and commercialization. Specifically, it will focus on the following two key areas:

 

① Integration of Engineering Technology

We will comprehensively consider and package domestic industrial machinery technologies related to raw material crushing/transport, heat recovery, reaction control, membrane separation, distillation, and plant construction to establish an optimal manufacturing process.

 

② Cost Reduction through Optimization of the Entire Manufacturing Process

Beyond developing single technologies, we aim to reduce the cost of domestically produced bioethanol by optimizing the entire manufacturing process as a single system.

  

In addition, J-BAS will consider the integration of engineering and optimization of the entire manufacturing process. Concurrently, it will explore complementary elements supporting technology development, such as the utilization of domestic enzymes, characterization of sorghum as a raw material crop, and scale-up considerations for future demonstration and commercialization. Details on these aspects will be organized and disseminated as the discussions progress.

  

It is assumed that plant demonstration and commercialization will be carried out in a separate organization and phase in the future, and J-BAS will be responsible for the fundamental technology development.

 

3. Future Outlook

J-BAS will promote the establishment of technical elements leading from basic research to the demonstration phase through industry-academia collaboration, supporting the preparatory stages for future commercialization. This consortium, involving major industrial machinery manufacturers affiliated with the Association and multiple university laboratories specializing in biotechnology and process engineering, will contribute to forming the foundation of a new bioethanol industry in Japan.

  

We are broadly recruiting related organizations and manufacturing companies who endorse this initiative to expand future activities.

  

End of document

 

J-BAS Q&A Collection

1. Overview and Positioning of J-BAS

Q1. What kind of organization is J-BAS?

A.

J-BAS (Japan Bio Alcohol from Sorghum) is an industry-academia collaboration consortium aimed at establishing technology for the bioethanol manufacturing process derived from sorghum.

Centering around the Japan Society of Industrial Machinery Manufacturers, with the participation of domestic industrial machinery manufacturers and university laboratories,

• Optimization of manufacturing processes

• Process integration

• Packaging of domestic technology

are being addressed.

 

Q2. J-BAS's scope is limited to "technology development only," but who will handle plant demonstration and commercialization?

A.

J-BAS's initiative is specialized in establishing and optimizing bioethanol manufacturing technology.

The construction of demonstration plants and commercialization are expected to be carried out by a separate organization or a corporate-led consortium in the future. J-BAS is responsible for building the foundational technology that precedes these stages.

 

Q3. What is the envisioned duration of J-BAS's activities?

A.

Currently, the goal is to complete the establishment of bioethanol manufacturing process technology within approximately 3 to 5 years. Demonstration and commercialization are expected to be transferred to a new business entity as a separate phase thereafter.

 

Q4. What is the future schedule?

A.

The technology establishment and optimization of the bioethanol manufacturing process will proceed in stages.

Performance evaluations and cost analyses of each process will be conducted, aiming to establish technologies that can be transitioned to the future demonstration phase.

 

2. SAF and Societal Background

Q5. Please explain the relationship between SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) and J-BAS.

A.

SAF is essential for decarbonizing the aviation sector, but there is a global shortage of supply.

The domestic bioethanol manufacturing technology developed by J-BAS can be converted to SAF in the future through methods like ATJ (Alcohol-to-Jet) and will contribute to building the foundation for expanding domestic SAF supply.

 

Q6. How serious is the SAF supply shortage?

A.

As of 2020, the global SAF supply accounted for only **about 0.03%** of total jet fuel.

Meanwhile, ICAO and IATA have set significant reduction targets for 2050, and the Japanese government also aims for **10% SAF introduction** by 2030. To bridge this supply-demand gap, establishing a large-scale domestic production system is essential.

 

3. About Raw Material (Sorghum)

Q7. Why was "sorghum" adopted as the raw material?

A.

Sorghum is relatively resistant to environmental stresses such as drought and salt damage, and its competition with food crops is minimal.

Given the potential for increased domestic cultivation, it was deemed suitable as a stable domestic biomass raw material. Other raw materials will also be considered for future study.

 

Q8. How do you plan to procure sorghum?

A.

J-BAS envisions domestic procurement through collaboration with the following entities:

• Local farmers and farming organizations

• Agricultural corporations

• In the future, local governments, etc.

While J-BAS itself will not engage in agricultural operations, it will design technologies based on the premise of stably procurable raw material conditions, aiming for a smooth transition to future demonstration and commercial phases.

 

4. Features of Technology Development

Q9. What does "reconstructing from a monozukuri perspective" entail for J-BAS?

A.

It is an approach that views bioethanol manufacturing as a complete factory system comprising:

"Raw material processing → Fermentation → Separation → Concentration → Recovery → Utility optimization"

and optimizes it integrally.

By utilizing domestic industrial machinery technology, it aims to reduce manufacturing costs and establish a highly efficient process.

 

Q10. How will J-BAS's technology development reduce manufacturing costs?

A.

J-BAS optimizes elements such as raw material processing, fermentation, separation/concentration, energy consumption, and equipment investment as an integrated process.

Specifically, by means such as:

• Advanced heat recovery and energy circulation between processes

• High efficiency of raw material processing (crushing/transport)

• High efficiency of fermentation using domestic yeast

• Optimal combination of membrane separation + distillation

• CAPEX reduction through optimal arrangement of domestic industrial machinery

Overall cost reduction will be achieved.

 

5. Enzyme and Process Technology

Q11. What are the important enzyme technologies in process technology?

A.

To efficiently saccharify sorghum, multiple enzymes are required, such as:

• Cellulase

• Hemicellulase

• Amylase

Currently, major overseas manufacturers dominate the market, and the utilization of domestic enzymes is limited.

 

Q12. Why haven't domestic enzymes been used until now?

A.

The main reasons are:

1. Scale advantages and price competitiveness of overseas manufacturers

2. Domestic enzyme manufacturers focusing primarily on food applications

3. Lack of mass production facilities for industrial use

J-BAS will also work on technology development to enable the utilization of domestic enzymes.

 

Q13. Which countries' enzymes are generally used currently?

A.

Mainly industrial enzymes from overseas manufacturers in countries such as the United States, Denmark, and China are used.

 

6. Cost and Future Development

Q14. What is the target manufacturing cost?

A.

The long-term target is less than 100 yen/liter.

This will significantly contribute to improving the competitiveness of domestically produced SAF, even compared to bioethanol for overseas ATJ (equivalent to 150-250 yen/liter).

 

Q15. What is needed to proceed with plant demonstration and commercialization?

A.

• Establishment of a business entity

• Construction of demonstration plants and securing funding

• Building a supply chain up to ATJ

• Raw material supply agreements

• Policy support

• Collaboration with airlines and fuel suppliers

are necessary.

J-BAS is responsible for building the technological foundation among these.

 

7. Participation and Operation

Q16. What companies and organizations are currently participating?

A.

Member companies of the Japan Society of Industrial Machinery Manufacturers' Chemical Machinery Division and university laboratories are participating.

Due to contractual agreements, individual company names are not disclosed at this time.

 

Q17. What are the conditions for participating in J-BAS?

A.

Membership in the Japan Society of Industrial Machinery Manufacturers' Chemical Machinery Division is a prerequisite.

Please contact the J-BAS secretariat for details.

 

Q18. What are the benefits of participating in J-BAS?

A.

The benefits include being involved in technology development that considers the entire manufacturing process, leading to future demonstration, commercialization, and expansion into SAF-related industries.

 

Q19. Which universities and research institutions are participating?

A.

We have received interest and inquiries from multiple biotechnology and process engineering laboratories.

Official names will be announced once the structure is finalized.

 

Q20. How is the project funding secured?

A.

Currently, it is operated by the Japan Society of Industrial Machinery Manufacturers' Chemical Machinery Division, and in the future, the utilization of public subsidies will also be considered.

 

[Contact Information]

Japan Society of Industrial Machinery Manufacturers

J-BAS Secretariat

TEL: 03-3434-3730