Achieved first flight using euglena biofuel
A flight inspection aircraft owned and operated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
flew and conducted flight inspection work while using renewable jet fuel

Euglena Co., Ltd.

euglena Co., Ltd. (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President and Representative Director: Mitsuru Izumo; hereafter, “euglena”) is pleased to announce the world’s first use of euglena-manufactured renewable jet fuel for a flight carrying out inspection work today by the Citation CJ4^*1, which is a flight inspection aircraft owned and operated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). This is the first time in Japan that renewable jet fuel made in Japan has been used in a government aircraft.
*1 The Citation CJ4 is an aircraft with special equipment that flies and inspects air navigation facilities and associated procedures operated at airports nationwide to ensure they are functioning correctly. The Civil Aviation Bureau, a division of MLIT, owns and operates five CJ4-series aircrafts and one DHC8-series aircraft.

Citation CJ4 flight inspection aircraft

 

euglena renewable jet fuel

Amid MLIT’s promotion of various activities to achieve a carbon-neutral society by 2050, ahead of World Environment Day, euglena provided euglena-manufactured renewable jet fuel from the idea of wanting to assist in accelerating the government’s initiatives to achieve this carbon-neutral goal, and this led to the use of euglena’s renewable jet fuel in this flight inspection aircraft.

A blendstock of renewable jet fuel and existing petroleum-based jet fuel was used for this flight. The renewable jet fuel was manufactured using the BIC process at euglena’s biofuel manufacturing demonstration plant, and has passed compliance testing for ASTM D7566 Annex 6 standards^*2 conducted by an external inspection agency. Lipids derived from used cooking oil and Euglena microalgae (hereafter, “Euglena”) are used for the raw material to create this renewable jet fuel. The flight inspection aircraft was fueled with renewable jet fuel and flew for about 2 hours 30 minutes to conduct flight inspection work before landing at Chubu Centrair International Airport. In addition, this activity is a grant project of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)^*3.
*2 Press release dated March 15, 2021https://www.euglena.jp/news/20210315/
*3 Press release dated October 5, 2020https://www.euglena.jp/news/20201005-2/

Kazuyoshi Akaba, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, came to observe the aircraft being fueled with renewable jet fuel in this initiative. Minister Akaba talked about facilitating the further use of renewable jet fuel, stating that reducing CO₂ emissions is the most important topic in the transportation sector amid Japan’s greatest international commitment to achieve a carbon-neutral society. In addition, he mentioned that from this perspective, it is a good thing that renewable jet fuel could be used in the aircraft today. He also commented on renewable jet fuel manufacturing, saying that it would be best for all parties to work together on a large scale, as much as possible, rather than airline companies each working on it individually, and that he wants to create initiatives that will place importance on this technology in the days to come.

Kazuyoshi Akaba, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

euglena made the “GREEN OIL JAPAN” declaration, which aims to make Japan a leading producer of renewable fuels, after completing the construction of Japan’s first biofuel manufacturing demonstration plant at the end of October 2018, and has been striving to introduce biofuel for use in land, sea and air transportation. In March 2020, euglena completed the development of and started to supply biodiesel fuel, and there has been an increase in adopting biofuel for use in transportation including buses, delivery vehicles, ferries and tugboats. In March 2021, euglena completed the development of renewable jet fuel and this finally led to achieving this first flight. euglena aims to continue to supply renewable jet fuel into the future.

● Created a special webpage regarding the completion of biofuel development at euglena
https://online.euglena.jp/shop/pages/biofuel.aspx

About euglena Co., Ltd.
In 2005, euglena succeeded in establishing the world’s first outdoor mass cultivation technology for Euglena microalgae for food use. In addition to developing and selling products that include functional foods and cosmetics that utilize Euglena and Chlorella microalgae, euglena conducts research in producing biofuel and provides genome analysis services. euglena has also been expanding eligible products for the “euglena GENKI Program” to all Group products including cosmetics since April 2019. This program has been running since 2014 and delivers nutrient-rich Euglena cookies to children in Bangladesh. The company was also listed on the Mothers Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in December 2012 and subsequently updated to the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in December 2014. euglena has been developing its business based on the euglena philosophy of “Sustainability First.” https://euglena.jp

―Media & Press Contact―
Corporate Communication Section, Euglena Co., Ltd.