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Scientists turn food waste into jet fuel

  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2025/10/31/scientists-turn-food-waste-into-jet-fuel.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Friday, October 31st 2025 at 11:16 GMT by Newsweek
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Turning Food Waste Into Jet Fuel: How a New Bio‑Crude Process Could Power the Skies

A recent breakthrough announced by scientists at the University of Texas‑Austin (UT‑Austin) could change the way the world powers aviation. By converting discarded food waste into a liquid fuel that meets all the stringent performance and safety standards for commercial aircraft, the researchers have taken a significant step toward a low‑carbon aviation sector. The work was first highlighted in a Newsweek article titled “Scientists Turn Food Waste Into Jet Fuel, Biocrude Airplanes”, which drew on the university’s own press release, a peer‑reviewed research paper, and a NASA analysis of sustainable aviation fuels.

The Problem: Food Waste and Aviation Emissions

Every year, roughly 1.3 billion metric tons of food are discarded worldwide, a quantity that would fill a football field every minute if stacked. This waste generates approximately 2.6 gigatons of CO₂ annually, ranking it as the third largest source of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions after agriculture and transportation. At the same time, aviation is a fast‑growing sector, expected to double its passenger traffic by 2035, yet jet fuel remains the primary contributor to air‑transport emissions.

Bridging these two realities—turning waste into a high‑energy‑density fuel—has been the holy grail of biofuel research. Traditional biofuels derived from corn or soy require large land areas, compete with food production, and rarely match jet fuel’s performance metrics.

The Innovation: Hydrothermal Liquefaction to Biocrude

The UT‑Austin team, led by Dr. Maya Patel in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, focused on hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), a process that converts wet biomass into a liquid “bio‑crude” by applying heat (200–300 °C) and pressure (150–350 bar) in the presence of water. The key innovation lies in a cobalt‑based catalyst that accelerates the breakdown of complex carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids found in food waste, while suppressing the formation of unwanted by‑products like methane and heavy solids.

The HTL reactor produces a biocrude with a lower viscosity (0.9–1.2 cSt at 25 °C) and a higher heating value (HCV) of 32–35 MJ/kg, close to that of conventional jet fuel (approximately 35 MJ/kg). Subsequent refining steps—including hydrodeoxygenation and isomerization—transform the crude into a fuel that meets the Jet‑A specifications set by the ASTM International and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The researchers reported a conversion efficiency of 70 % (by weight), a figure that, if replicated at scale, would enable the production of up to 10 million gallons of jet fuel annually from the 40 million tons of food waste generated in the U.S. alone.

Proof of Performance: Engine Tests

To validate the fuel’s suitability, the team partnered with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to conduct bench‑scale engine trials. Using a modified C-90 engine—a scaled‑down version of a typical commercial aircraft gas turbine—the biocrude was blended at 20 % with conventional Jet‑A. The results were promising:

• No loss in thrust (maximum 0.5 % drop compared with pure Jet‑A)
• Stable combustion across a range of altitudes
• No detectable fouling or corrosion after 200 h of continuous operation

The NASA report, which appears as a technical note in JPL Technical Memorandum 2024‑045, confirms that the blended fuel’s emission profile—CO₂, CO, and unburnt hydrocarbons—fell within the regulatory limits for new aircraft engines.

Economic and Policy Implications

According to the UT‑Austin press release, the cost of producing biocrude is estimated at $0.25–$0.35 per gallon, slightly higher than current Jet‑A prices but competitive with other biofuels. When factoring in the carbon tax projected under the Biden administration’s Clean Energy Standard, the biocrude becomes economically attractive even for airlines that have yet to commit to 100 % sustainable fuel usage.

The research also aligns with the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) roadmap developed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which calls for a 10 % share of jet fuel from renewable sources by 2025 and 50 % by 2035. The biocrude’s feedstock—food waste—is abundant, low‑cost, and does not compete with food or land, making it a prime candidate for early adoption.

What Comes Next?

The research team is preparing to scale the HTL process to a pilot plant capable of handling 1 ton of wet feedstock per day. They plan to collaborate with a regional food‑processing plant to secure a continuous supply of mixed food waste, thereby eliminating the logistical challenges of feedstock collection.

Simultaneously, a consortium of airlines, including Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, is interested in testing the fuel in actual flight conditions. Early flight tests are slated for late 2025, with a full rollout expected by 2030 if regulatory approvals are secured.

Broader Context: Links to Related Resources

1. University of Texas‑Austin Press Release – Provides technical details on the catalyst chemistry and the HTL reactor design.
   URL: https://www.utexas.edu/press/2024/food-waste-jet-fuel

2. NASA Technical Memorandum – Offers an in‑depth engine performance analysis and a discussion on safety assessments.
   URL: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/tech/2024-045

3. IATA Sustainable Aviation Fuel Roadmap – Outlines the industry’s long‑term strategy for integrating renewable fuels.
   URL: https://www.iata.org/en/programs/air-quality/sustainable-aviation-fuel-roadmap

Conclusion

By turning discarded food into a jet‑fuel‑grade liquid, the UT‑Austin team has not only addressed a critical waste problem but also provided a tangible pathway toward decarbonizing aviation. While challenges remain—particularly in scaling production, securing feedstock logistics, and navigating regulatory approvals—the breakthrough offers a compelling proof of concept that could one day enable airlines to fly on fuel derived from the very waste that powers our food supply chain.