Sustainable aviation fuel in India moves from talk to deadline in 2027, when the country targets a 1% blend in fuel for international flights. Making SAF at scale needs proven processes, and proving them needs three kinds of space: catalyst and process labs, fuel testing labs that can show the fuel meets jet specifications, and pilot reactors that run continuously on real feedstock. Most of the hard work happens before anything is blended into a plane.
What are India’s SAF targets?
India has set indicative SAF blending targets for international flights: 1% from 2027, 2% by 2028 and 5% by 2030. The 2027 date lines up with the start of the mandatory phase of CORSIA, the international scheme to curb aviation emissions. In July 2026, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu reaffirmed these targets at a meeting with ministries, regulators, airlines and oil companies.
A 1% blend sounds small. Across India’s international aviation fuel use, it adds up to a serious volume of fuel that does not exist yet.
How is SAF made?
SAF is jet fuel made from non-fossil sources. The main routes are:
- HEFA: hydroprocessing used cooking oil, animal fats and other waste oils. The most mature route today.
- Alcohol-to-jet: converting ethanol or other alcohols into jet fuel, which links SAF to India’s ethanol industry.
- Gasification and Fischer-Tropsch: turning agricultural residues or municipal waste into a gas, then into liquid fuel.
- Power-to-liquid: combining captured CO2 with green hydrogen.
- Co-processing: blending approved bio-feedstocks into existing refinery units at low percentages.
India’s feedstock options include used cooking oil, agricultural waste, municipal solid waste and biomass. Near Visakhapatnam, NTPC is building a plant at Pudimadaka that will capture CO2 from power plant flue gas, a first step towards CO2-based fuels.
What R&D facilities does SAF need?
| Facility | What Happens There | What the Building Must Provide |
|---|---|---|
| Catalyst Lab | Developing and testing catalysts for each conversion step | Fume hoods, furnaces, high-pressure reactors, gas detection systems |
| Process Development Lab | Bench-scale continuous reactors | Hydrogen and other process gases, hazardous area design, safety interlocks |
| Feedstock Lab | Characterising and pre-treating oils, residues, and waste materials | Storage facilities, grinding and drying equipment, odour control systems |
| Fuel Testing Lab | Verifying that fuel meets jet fuel specifications | Analytical instruments, stable power supply, flammable liquid storage |
| Pilot Plant | Running the full process continuously | High-bay space, hydrogen handling systems, pressure systems, emissions controls |
Fuel testing deserves special mention. SAF must meet international specifications, notably ASTM D7566, before it can be blended. A fuel that cannot pass is just an interesting liquid. Labs that can run these tests, or prepare samples for certification, are valuable at every stage.
Where do SAF projects hit friction?
Hydrogen. Most SAF routes use hydrogen, which needs careful storage, detection and hazardous area design.
Pressure and heat. Reactors run hot and under pressure, so process safety reviews are not optional.
Feedstock. Supplies of used cooking oil and residues are scattered. Collection and pre-treatment can matter as much as the chemistry.
Scale. A catalyst that works at bench scale may lose performance over months of continuous operation. Only a pilot will tell you.
What should you check before choosing a site?
- Gas supply and storage, including hydrogen, with detection
- Hazardous area design and flameproof electricals
- Space for high-pressure reactors with proper safety distances
- Flammable liquid storage within PESO licensing limits
- Analytical lab space for fuel testing
- Emissions controls and pollution consent route
- High-bay space for a future pilot plant
Where does a science campus help?
Catalyst labs, process development and fuel testing need gas detection, fire safety, extraction and reliable power more than they need open land. A campus that runs those systems lets research teams start sooner, with larger pilots moving to industrial sites later.
NQF Hubs (NXT QST FWD) provides research and pilot labs and turnkey build-outs, with campus systems including gas detection (GDS) and fire alarm systems (FAS), as set out on its Solutions page. It is extending these into clean and environmental technologies. Our guide to pilot plant space for clean-tech startups covers the wider picture.
Frequently asked questions
What are India’s SAF blending targets?
India targets 1% SAF in fuel for international flights from 2027, 2% by 2028 and 5% by 2030, aligned with the mandatory phase of the international CORSIA scheme.
How is sustainable aviation fuel made?
Main routes include hydroprocessing waste oils (HEFA), converting alcohols to jet fuel, gasifying waste or residues, and combining captured CO2 with green hydrogen.
What standard must SAF meet?
SAF must meet international jet fuel specifications, notably ASTM D7566, before it can be blended with conventional jet fuel.
What does a SAF R&D lab need?
Catalyst and process labs with gas handling and hazardous area design, a fuel testing lab, feedstock handling, and eventually a pilot plant with hydrogen and pressure systems.
Developing SAF or other low-carbon fuels? Talk to NQF Hubs about lab and pilot space. Get in touch
6. External sources cited
- S&P Global, “India mandates 1% sustainable aviation fuel blend from January 2027” (30 Jul 2026): https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/agriculture/073026-india-mandates-1-sustainable-aviation-fuel-blend-from-january-2027
- S&P Global, “India positioned to meet 2027 SAF targets by coprocessing, 2030 goals need urgent finance: report” (Sep 2026): https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/agriculture/092826-india-positioned-to-meet-2027-saf-targets-by-coprocessing-2030-goals-need-urgent-finance-report
- ASTM D7566, “Standard Specification for Aviation Turbine Fuel Containing Synthesized Hydrocarbons”: https://www.astm.org/d7566-22.html