During New York Climate Week, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) technology and production company LanzaJet, alongside Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company, KazMunayGas (KMG), announced a significant milestone in Kazakhstan’s inaugural SAF project. The collaboration enters the Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) phase after a joint feasibility study.
Launched in 2020 by LanzaTech, Illinois-based LanzaJet has pioneered “Alcohol-to-Jet” technology, which allows the production of SAF and renewable diesel from waste-based and sustainable ethanol sources, such as low-carbon sugarcane, energy crops, forest residuals, agricultural wastes, and organic waste.
Jimmy Samartzis, CEO of LanzaJet, highlighted Kazakhstan’s potential across various sectors, including agriculture, logistics, oil and gas, and aviation. He stated that the partnership with KMG initiates regional leadership in promoting lower carbon flight, stimulating economic development, and ensuring energy security.
The agreement with KMG was formalised during New York Climate Week, attended by Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and KMG Chairman and CEO Askhat Khassenov. This marks LanzaJet’s first deployment of its patented Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) technology in the region.
The FEED phase will finalise the technical and economic solutions necessary for the facility’s construction. The project is set to commence immediately, aiming to meet Kazakhstan’s SAF demand, projected to reach 70,000 tonnes annually by 2030.
Askhat Khassenov noted the collaboration’s significance in strengthening bilateral cooperation, supporting low-carbon development goals, and deploying advanced technologies. The initiative is expected to positively impact the biofuels market, enhance the aviation sector’s environmental performance, and boost Kazakhstan’s transit potential.
This announcement follows a series of investments in LanzaJet, including contributions from MUFG, Groupe ADP, Microsoft, and Southwest Airlines. Other investors include All Nippon Airways, Breakthrough Energy, British Airways, LanzaTech, Mitsui & Co., Shell, and Suncor Energy.
