Illinois lab cooks food waste into jet fuel in aviation breakthrough

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a novel thermochemical conversion process that transforms food waste into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) meeting all industry standards without blending with fossil fuels. The two-step process begins with hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), which uses high heat and pressure to convert wet biomass into biocrude oil. This biocrude is then purified by removing impurities and refined through catalytic hydrotreating using cobalt molybdenum catalysts to eliminate nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur, resulting in pure hydrocarbons suitable for jet fuel. The produced SAF passed rigorous ASTM and FAA tests, clearing Tier Alpha and Beta prescreening without additives. This breakthrough addresses two critical issues: the environmental impact of aviation emissions and the global problem of food waste, which accounts for over 30% of food produced and contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions when decomposed in landfills. The technology’s versatility extends beyond food waste, capable of processing other biowastes like sewage sludge,