China starts sustainable aviation fuel pilot

China on Thursday initiated a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) program in several airports to promote a green and low-carbon transition in the aviation sector.

The program involves China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and Air China.

Starting Friday, 12 flights taking off from Beijing Daxing International Airport, Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport, and Ningbo Lishe International Airport, began using SAF.

At 7:19, a flight refueled with SAF departed from Shuangliu airport and landed safely at Beijing Capital International Airport after a 130-minute journey, marking the first commercial flight using SAF.

"Judging from today's flight conditions, the engine performed well, the fuel consumption was comparable to that of traditional aviation fuel, and the entire flight was smooth," said Tang Zheng, a pilot from Air China's Southwest Branch.

The first phase of the program will run from September to December 2024, before a second phase throughout 2025, during which the number of participants will gradually increase.

SAF is a liquid aviation fuel alternative to traditional jet fuel that meets airworthiness standards and sustainability evaluation standards. Made from renewable materials, it can reduce carbon emissions by about 70 percent over the fuel's life cycle compared to conventional jet fuel.

Approximately 99 percent of the carbon emissions from the civil aviation industry are linked to fuel consumption during flights.

"Sustainable aviation fuel is a true green energy that can cut carbon emissions by over 70 percent over its life cycle. If produced from biomass raw materials, it can reduce emissions by over 85 percent or even achieve zero carbon or negative carbon emissions," said Yang Xiaojun, a researcher at the institute of environment and sustainable development of the Civil Aviation University of China.

Compared with traditional fossil-based jet fuel, SAF has similar energy density and volume density, allowing it to be used directly in the aviation sector without modifications to existing civil aviation infrastructure or aircraft. It is characterized by high safety, advanced technology and significant emission reduction.

China starts sustainable aviation fuel pilot

At precisely 07:15 each morning, veteran meteorologist Tsering Dekyi launches a weather balloon from Lhasa Meteorological Station, continuing a ritual that has documented the remarkable transformation of the capital city of southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region over half a century.

For 26 years, Dekyi has maintained this precision-critical routine where even a one-second delay constitutes a professional failure.

"Attention to details is vital. The tiniest error can cause disaster. A mistake of just 0.1 in the data input can have a major impact," she said.

As the balloon rises into sky, it captures atmospheric readings while revealing panoramic views of Lhasa's evolving skyline, where ancient temples now neighbor modern infrastructure.

The daily launches, conducted at optimal atmospheric conditions, showcase how this ancient city harmonizes heritage with development. Through the lens of balloon-mounted cameras, prayer-flag adorned rooftops give way to sprawling new residential districts and the gleaming Lhasa-Nyingchi railway terminus.

Meteorological balloons have risen from this station since the 1970s, their flight paths unintentionally chronicling urban expansion. Where observers once saw mostly farmland, they now document a regional hub with highways radiating across the plateau and solar farms powering growth.

As Dekyi watches another balloon shrink to a dot, its sensors will transmit real-time updates about the rarefied air above one of Asia's fastest-transforming cities, where tradition and progress share the same horizon.

Weather balloons witness Lhasa's remarkable transformation