IIT Jodhpur Is Working On Developing Bio-Jet Fuel From Waste Biomass For The Aviation Industry

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur created a bio-jet fuel from waste biomass and non-edible oils, making the bio-jet fuel manufacturing process more cost-effective.

The study was carried out under the supervision of Rakesh K Sharma, professor of chemistry at IIT Jodhpur, and his PhD student Bhagirath Saini. According to the professor, the research will be beneficial to the aviation industry and will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
The team has created Fe/Silica-Alumina, an iron-based catalyst that will transform waste biomass into bio-jet fuel. The catalyst is reusable and can withstand up to ten test cycles.

According to the findings, the catalyst has high acidity and distinct textural features, enabling the synthesis of bio-jet fuel under relatively mild reaction conditions such as low hydrogen pressure and solvent-free circumstances. The worldwide aviation industry has a daily fuel consumption of more than 800 million litres and is dependent on petroleum-based fuels, which has an environmental impact.

The DBT PAN-IIT Centre for Bioenergy Research of the Department of Biotechnology is funding the study. The study's findings were featured on the cover of the Royal Society of Chemistry's magazine Sustainable Energy & Fuels.