University of Illinois Researchers Discover Method to Turn Food Waste into Sustainable Jet Fuel

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URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Innovative researchers at the University of Illinois have unveiled a method to transform discarded food into eco-friendly jet fuel.

According to a statement from the university, the surge in air travel has significantly increased the demand for jet fuel, which in turn has become a major source of greenhouse gas emissions.

To address this environmental challenge, the research team has developed a technique to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from food waste, without the need for traditional fossil fuel mixtures. Their method, detailed in a study published by Nature Communications, presents a promising solution to help the aviation sector achieve its ambitious target of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The process involves converting food scraps into biocrude oil through a thermochemical technique known as hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL). Following this, impurities are extracted from the biocrude. The final step involves refining this oil into aviation fuel using hydrogen and catalysts.

The university also said this approach can be applied to a number of feedstocks and types of oil, which could potentially lead to a new direction overall for obtaining fuels.

“HTL basically mimics the natural formation of crude oil in the Earth. It uses high heat and pressure to convert wet biomass into a biocrude oil,” said lead study author Sabrina Summers. “The goal of this work is to upgrade that biocrude oil into transportation fuels that can go directly into existing energy infrastructure.”

In this project, the researchers used waste from a nearby food processing facility. Across the world, over 30% of food is wasted each year at all levels of the supply chain — including farm to transportation, processing, retail, food service and households.

U of I said food decomposition in landfills and wastewater treatment plants contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, so recycling waste helps promote sustainability. HTL can process feedstock from a wide range of biowaste, including:

Food
Sewage sludge
Algal bloom
Swine manure
Agricultural residue

“To meet the aviation industry’s goals to decarbonate jet fuel, we need many different renewable sources, and agriculture is going to play a critical role in terms of providing the feedstocks,” said corresponding study author Yuanhui Zhang.

For more information on this jet fuel conversion process, visit the U of I’s website.