Aviation
Methanol-to-Jet
Aviation fuel demand is expected to increase significantly by 2050, rising from about 330 million tonnes in 2019 to over 500 million tonnes. At the same time, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) demand is projected to grow from about 0.5 million tonnes in 2025 to nearly 60 million tonnes by 2050 as the aviation sector works towards decarbonization goals.
Aviation remains one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize, particularly for long-haul flights that require energy-dense liquid fuels that can be stored and handled safely over long distances. As a result, SAF is expected to play a central role in reducing emissions from the sector. Existing SAF pathways, including HEFA, Fischer-Tropsch (FT), and Alcohol-To-Jet (AtJ), alone are unlikely to deliver the volumes needed at the pace required due to feedstock constraints.
Methanol-to-jet (MtJ) is emerging as a promising pathway that can help close the gap by building on existing global methanol production, transport, and storage infrastructure, proven technology, and flexible low-carbon feedstocks.
The Methanol-to-Jet pathway to Sustainable Aviation Fuel
In the MtJ pathway, methanol is used as an intermediate to produce sustainable aviation fuel that meets ASTM D7566 specifications for use in commercial aircrafts. The final blended fuel must comply with ASTM D1655, the standard for general aviation fuels.
The process takes place in two main stages. First, methanol is converted into olefins, a group of hydrocarbon molecules, through the Methanol-to-Olefins (MTO) process. These olefins are then upgraded through the Olefins-to-Jet (OtJ) process, where they are converted into synthetic kerosene within the jet fuel range.
The resulting fuel is chemically similar to conventional Jet-A fuel and can be blended into existing aviation fuel systems without modifications to aircraft engines, fueling systems, or airport storage infrastructure.
Depending on the methanol feedstock used, the resulting fuel can deliver between 70% and 90% lifecycle greenhouse gas reductions compared to conventional fossil jet fuel. This includes pathways using renewable electricity, captured CO2, or sustainably sourced biomass.
Commercial-scale methanol-to-jet projects are currently being developed across Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America, while major tech companies, including Exxon Mobil, Honeywell UOP, CAC, and Topsoe, have developed technologies to support the scale-up of MtJ production and SAF supply chains.
Why use methanol as a feedstock
Existing supply and infrastructure
One of methanol’s key advantages is that it already benefits from a global production and logistics network, offering a potential pathway to scale SAF more quickly than entirely new fuel systems.
Unlike SAF pathways that rely on limited feedstocks or new supply chains, MtJ builds on decades of existing methanol production, transport, and storage experience.
MtJ facilities can also be integrated with methanol plants or located near CO₂ sources and ports, helping simplify logistics while reducing infrastructure and permitting requirements.
Drop-in compatibility
Methanol-derived synthetic kerosene is designed to work within existing aviation systems. It can be blended and distributed through current fuel infrastructure without requiring modifications to aircraft engines, airport fueling systems, or storage facilities. This drop-in capability in aviation is critical because it allows SAF to be blended and distributed through the existing aviation fuel supply chain without additional investment at airports or by airlines.
Regulatory eligibility
MtJ is recognised under major regulatory frameworks, including the European Union’s ReFuelEU Aviation and the UK’s Sustainable Skies Roadmap. Producers using this pathway can generate SAF certificates that airlines need to meet blending mandates, creating a direct commercial market.
Flexible feedstocks
Methanol can be produced through a range of conventional, low-carbon, and renewable pathways, including captured carbon, renewable hydrogen, and sustainably sourced biomass. This flexibility gives MtJ an important advantage over SAF pathways that depend on more limited feedstock options.
Cost competitiveness
MtJ also shows strong potential to become cost-competitive compared to some newer SAF pathways, particularly as SAF markets mature and production scales up.
Our recent analysis on MtJ suggests that it could become increasingly cost-competitive, especially in integrated facilities where methanol production and fuel synthesis are located together. Biomethanol-based MtJ pathways are also considered among the lower-cost emerging SAF options compared to FT and advanced AtJ pathways.
Frequently asked questions
Methanol can be used as a fuel in applications including gas turbines, internal combustion engines, and fuel cells. There has been research and testing on the direct use of methanol in aviation. However, methanol is not approved for direct use as a fuel in commercial aircrafts. Instead, methanol is used as an intermediate to produce sustainable aviation fuel through the Methanol-to-Jet pathway. The resulting synthetic kerosene has the energy density and combustion properties required for use in existing aircraft engines and aviation fuel systems.
Methanol itself is not classified as a sustainable aviation fuel. SAF refers to the finished aviation fuel loaded into aircraft fuel tanks and burned in jet engines. What methanol provides is a scalable pathway for making SAF through the Methanol-to-Jet process. Under the European Union’s ReFuelEU Aviation regulation and similar frameworks in the UK and the US, synthetic fuels produced from renewable methanol can qualify as SAF and contribute toward mandatory blending targets that require airlines to use increasing amounts of SAF over time.