Praj Industries Demonstrates Ethanol-to-Jet Technology for SAF with Axens JetanolTM Technology

by Prakash Jha (BioEnergy Times) Praj Industries said it has successfully demonstrated its Ethanol-to-Jet (EtJ) process utilizing Axens JetanolTM technology at its Integrated Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) demonstration plant at Praj Matrix, its research and development centre. The achievement marks a key step in the move toward lower-emission fuels for aviation.

The announcement was made at Wings India 2026 by Maneesh Kumar, Joint Director General of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), in the presence of DGCA Director General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai. The demonstration was highlighted during a roundtable discussion on SAF chaired by Samir Kumar Sinha, Secretary at the Ministry of Civil Aviation, with participation from industry stakeholders. Praj was represented by Atul Mulay, President of its Bioenergy Business, while Axens was represented by Siddharth Saha, Managing Director of Axens India.

The SAF demonstration plant was earlier inaugurated by Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri. Praj said the facility has now shown it is ready to operate across both Alcohol-to-Jet pathways. After earlier success using bio-isobutanol as a raw material, the plant has now confirmed that bio-ethanol can also be used under the Ethanol-to-Jet process. This, the company said, strengthens its ability to work with different raw materials for SAF production.

Axens, which provides technologies and services for cleaner fuels, has partnered with Praj on the project. Axens has licensed its Jetanol™ Alcohol-to-Jet technology to Praj, along with related catalysts and technical support.

With this development, Praj said it has become the first company globally to offer a fully integrated technology solution for the Alcohol-to-Jet route using both ethanol and isobutanol. The process has been tested at demonstration scale and is now ready for commercial use. The fuel produced meets international aviation standards and can be used in existing aircraft engines and infrastructure.

Praj has earlier supported India’s first commercial passenger flight using SAF-blended fuel. An AirAsia India flight from Pune to New Delhi operated using SAF produced by Praj in partnership with Indian Oil.

Dr. Pramod Chaudhari, Founder Chairman of Praj Industries, said the company is focused on developing scalable solutions to reduce emissions from aviation while supporting energy security and climate goals. He said Praj is prepared to work with oil companies and ethanol producers through flexible project models, including additions to existing facilities and new projects, to speed up SAF production.

Quentin Debuisschert, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Axens, said the successful demonstration of the Ethanol-to-Jet process is an important step for the SAF supply chain. He said the partnership combines Praj’s engineering strengths with Axens’ technology to support reliable and scalable SAF production.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel is widely seen as an important way to reduce emissions from flying. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), global demand for SAF could rise to more than 500 million tonnes, or about 600 billion litres. IATA has said that technology readiness and production capacity will be critical, as sufficient raw materials are available worldwide.

The importance of joint industry efforts was highlighted by a memorandum of understanding signed between Praj Industries, IATA and the Indian Sugar & Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA). The agreement focuses on certification and wider use of SAF in India, including a full assessment of emissions from SAF made using Indian sugarcane-based ethanol.

Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Sustainability and Chief Economist, said SAF is central to aviation’s goal of reaching net-zero emissions and will require faster scale-up supported by policy clarity, available raw materials and technology development.

Deepak Ballani, Director General of ISMA, said India has strong potential to produce SAF, especially through the Alcohol-to-Jet route linked to the country’s ethanol programme. He said studies show India could produce several billion litres of SAF each year from bioethanol, helping meet domestic demand and build export capacity, provided there is long-term policy support.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has previously said India has become the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market and is seeing rapid progress in connectivity, innovation and sustainability. Praj said the successful Ethanol-to-Jet demonstration, combined with supportive policies and industry cooperation, strengthens the path toward wider SAF use and cleaner aviation. READ MORE

Praj, India's most accomplished industrial biotech company, is driven by innovation, integration, and delivery capabilities. Over the past four decades, Praj has focused on environment, energy, and agri-process industry, with more than 1000 customer references spanning more than 100 countries across six continents. Bio-Mobility® and Bio-Prism® are the mainstays of Praj's contribution to the global Bioeconomy. The Bio-Mobility® platform offers technology solutions globally to produce the renewable transportation fuel, thus ensuring sustainable decarbonization through a circular bioeconomy. The Company's Bio-Prism® porƞolio comprises technologies to produce renewable chemicals and materials, promises sustainability while reimagining nature. Praj Matrix, the state-of-the-art R&D facility, forms the backbone for the company's endeavours towards a clean energy-based Bioeconomy. Praj's diverse porƞolio comprises Bio-energy solutions, Critical process equipment & skids, Breweries, Zero liquid discharge systems and High purity water systems. Led by accomplished and caring leadership, Praj is a socially responsible corporate citizen. Praj is listed on the Bombay and National Stock Exchanges of India. To find out more, visit www.praj.net and follow us on LinkedIn.

The Axens Group (www.axens.net) offers a complete range of solutions for the conversion of oil and biomass into cleaner fuels, the production and purification of major petrochemical intermediates, the chemical recycling of plastics, natural gas treatment and conversion options, water treatment and carbon capture. Their offer includes technologies, equipment, furnaces, modular units, catalysts, adsorbents and related services. Axens is ideally positioned to cover the entire value chain, from feasibility studies to start-up and monitoring of units throughout their lifecycle. This unique position guarantees optimum performance and a reduced environmental footprint. Axens' international offering is based on highly qualified human resources, modern production facilities and an extensive global network for industrial, technical support and sales services. Axens Jetanol™ is the World’s Preferred Ethanol-to-Jet Technology, combining proven, trusted process technology with robust engineering, technical services, and catalyst production, all backed by decades of successful technology deployment across the refining, petrochemical, and renewable industries. Jetanol™ provides its partners like Praj with the highest carbon retention and SAF yield on the ETJ market today - all backed by the reputation of Axens and the associated performance guarantees. The result: Jetanol™ has been compeƟƟvely selected by most of the world’s major ETJ projects. Axens is an IFP Energies Nouvelles Group company. To find out more, visit our website, and follow us on LinkedIn. READ MORE