Kazakhstan’s KazMunayGas JSC (KMG) is investigating the potential for producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), recognizing it as a key to the future of air transport, Trend.az reports.
The development was revealed following a meeting between KMG Chairman of the Board Askhat Kassenov and IATA Vice President Rafael Schwartzman.
KMG has conducted a comprehensive market analysis and concluded that the development of the aviation sector is directly linked to the adoption of SAF.
This initiative aligns with the global trend to reduce carbon emissions, a commitment Kazakhstan has actively joined through the CORSIA framework aimed at offsetting and reducing emissions in international aviation.
Additionally, Hasenov noted that since 2020, three Kazakh oil refineries have been prepared to produce traditional Jet A-1 aviation fuel. However, a full transition to the new fuel type will require the modernization of the entire infrastructure, from oil depots to airports.
Earlier, Deputy Transport Minister Maksat Kaliakparov and the Chair of the Civil Aviation Committee of Kazakhstan, Saltanat Tompiyeva, also met with the IATA representative. The central topic of discussion was the transition of Kazakhstan’s civil aviation to Jet A-1 fuel.