Renewable energy firm GPS Renewables has partnered with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL) to start an indigenous technology for producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from ethanol at a commercial scale. The initiative, branded NG SAF, also holds potential for producing SAF from methanol.
As part of the collaboration, GPS Renewables will invest in developing technology based on a patented catalyst from CSIR-NCL, enabling the one-step oligomerisation of ethylene and other olefins. This process joins small molecules to form larger ones that replicate aviation turbine fuel. While the ethanol-to-jet pathway has been demonstrated at the lab scale globally, no company has yet succeeded in scaling it for industrial production. GPS Renewables now holds the exclusive commercialisation rights to CSIR-NCL’s process.
Currently, commercial SAF production primarily relies on the HEFA pathway (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids), utilising feedstocks such as used cooking oil (UCO) or animal fats. However, India’s lack of an organised UCO collection system and restrictions on UCO imports limit the viability of HEFA in the country. The NG SAF project aims to leverage ethanol derived from 2G biomass – a key output of India’s agri-biomass ecosystem – to build a scalable and indigenous SAF solution.
Gomatam Ravi, CTO of GPS Renewables, said, “We are thrilled to partner with CSIR-NCL to build an indigenous and breakthrough SAF technology that can position India as a leader in SAF production. While many have demonstrated the process at lab scale, none have succeeded in producing SAF from ethanol at an industrial scale. With NG SAF, we aim to change that.”
Ashish Lele, Director of CSIR-NCL, added, “This indigenous technology, based on our patented oligomerisation process, can be a game-changer to decarbonize the aviation sector. Scientific research, when coupled with industry collaboration, can deliver solutions to global challenges.”
Mainak Chakraborty, Co-Founder and CEO of GPS Renewables, underscored the strength of the team driving NG SAF, which includes industry veterans such as Dr. Anjan Ray, former Director of the Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dr. Arvind Lali of ICT Mumbai, and several experts from global engineering majors like Petrofac, Petronas, and L&T.
The partnership aims to position India at the forefront of SAF innovation, addressing both feedstock constraints and the urgent need for decarbonizing aviation fuel.
