SUBSCRIBE
PROFILE

LanzaJet and KMG launch engineering phase of Kazakhstan’s first SAF project

LanzaJet and state-owned KazMunayGas have reached a decisive milestone towards building Kazakhstan’s first sustainable aviation fuel plant, with the immediate start of the engineering phase.

Share:

Comprehensive energy news coverage, updated nonstop

Annual subscription

8.25$/month*

*billed annually at 99$/year for the first year then 149,00$/year ​

Unlimited access • Archives included • Professional invoice

SUBSCRIBE - 99$/year

OTHER ACCESS OPTIONS

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2$/month*
then 14.90$ per month thereafter

FREE ACCOUNT

3 articles offered per month

FREE

*Prices are excluding VAT, which may vary depending on your location or professional status

Since 2021: 35,000 articles • 150+ analyses per week

US alternative fuels producer LanzaJet and Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company KazMunayGas (KMG) announced the launch of the engineering phase of their joint sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) project, marking a first for the country. The agreement between the two companies follows the recent completion of a joint feasibility study and paves the way for finalising technical and economic solutions for the plant’s construction.

A structuring project for aviation and energy

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of New York Climate Week, at an event attended by Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and KMG’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Askhat Khassenov. LanzaJet’s Chief Executive Officer Jimmy Samartzis publicly outlined the partnership’s ambitions, highlighting the cross-sector opportunities Kazakhstan represents for technologies such as the company’s Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) process.

This technology converts alcohol derived from biomass into aviation fuel, a process that LanzaJet is now seeking to deploy for the first time in the region. The US-based company views the partnership as an opportunity to combine logistics, agriculture, aviation and fossil resources into an industrial perspective.

Target 2030: 70,000 tonnes of SAF per year

The future plant aims to meet an estimated national demand of 70,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel annually by 2030, according to projections established by the partners. The Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) phase will validate all technological choices before potential construction begins.

For KazMunayGas, the project also represents a strategic diversification lever. “This partnership will contribute to strengthening our bilateral cooperation and to developing cutting-edge technologies in the country,” said Askhat Khassenov at the signing.

A signal for regional markets

The SAF project in Kazakhstan also marks a first for LanzaJet in Central Asia. If the FEED phase proceeds according to schedule, the country could become an anchor point for further deployments of this technology in the region. The two partners have not yet announced a precise timetable for the construction and commissioning of the plant.

  • Popular on energynews.pro
The European Union ensures gas security for winter despite halt in Russian supplies
Australia loses Asian markets for seaborne thermal coal
Croatia targets Russian stake in NIS to maintain oil flows
Salt River Project launches 50 MWh storage pilot with ESS in Arizona
Wood Mackenzie: the UK can double North Sea reserves without breaching climate limits
Used oil imports multiply twentyfold under pressure from biofuels
Global demand for biofuels is driving a sharp increase in used oil imports to Europe and the United States, straining global feedstock supply chains, according to the International Energy Agency.
Singapore distillate stocks rise above 10 million barrels
Singapore’s gasoil and kerosene inventories reached a three-month high after a sharp weekly drop in net exports, supported by a marked increase in imports from Northeast Asia.
Alkagesta opens biofuels trading desk in Geneva to strengthen its investments
Trader Alkagesta opens a new biofuels trading desk in Geneva, targeting European market growth and consolidating its investments in alternative fuels.
Indonesia approves 10% mandatory bioethanol blend in gasoline
The Indonesian government plans to mandate a 10% bioethanol blend in gasoline to reduce fuel imports and support the local ethanol industry.
California authorises E15 fuel sales to reduce pump prices
California lifts its ban on E15 fuel, opening its vast market to the ethanol-gasoline blend in a bid to lower prices and expand consumer options.
DRC caps cobalt exports at 96,600 tonnes until 2027
Kinshasa replaces export ban with a quota system covering just half of its output, triggering a price surge and global supply tensions.
India risks regulatory setback on ethanol as Brazil consolidates SAF lead
India holds a surplus of ethanol that could support SAF production, but unclear sugarcane feedstock rules limit commercial development.
Six oil companies fined €937mn for bioethanol price fixing in Italy
Italy’s competition authority has fined six oil companies nearly €1bn for colluding on bioethanol pricing between 2020 and 2023, including a €336mn penalty for Eni.
MCatalysis secures funding to industrialise microwave catalysis technology from Oxford
Texas-based start-up MCatalysis secures seed funding from HL Energy Ventures to exploit, under exclusive licence, a microwave catalysis technology developed at the University of Oxford.
Altalto secures public funding for its UK waste-to-aviation fuel project
Altalto (Immingham) Limited receives backing from the UK government to integrate NEXTCHEM technologies into its sustainable aviation fuel project derived from municipal waste.
Shell halts its biofuels plant in Rotterdam amid strategic trade-off
Shell ends construction of its biofuels plant in the Netherlands, citing low competitiveness, while reinforcing its oil activities, raising questions over its previous energy commitments.
RWE activates 83 megawatts of wind and solar capacity in France
German group RWE has commissioned five new power plants in France, adding 83 MW to its portfolio, following repeated successes in tenders organised by the Energy Regulatory Commission.
The aviation fuel market projected to reach USD 751 billion by 2032
With an annual growth rate estimated at 10.11%, the global aviation fuel market could reach USD 751 billion by 2032, driven by increasing air traffic and new industrial partnerships.
CNAF Acquires Stake in Private Sustainable Aviation Fuel Refinery
China’s aviation fuel distributor CNAF announced a new investment in a private sustainable fuel refinery, reinforcing its integration strategy within an emerging sector considered critical to the country’s aviation industry.
Petrobras Targets Raízen to Reenter Ethanol Sector Under Legal Constraints by End of 2025
According to O Globo, Petrobras is exploring an entry into Raízen, either through equity investment or asset acquisition, to return to the ethanol market. A decision is expected by the end of 2025, under legal constraints tied to fuel distribution.
Grapevine Energy restructures $60mn debt and shifts to private control
Grapevine Energy completes its financial reorganisation, eliminates part of its debt and secures over $60mn in new funding, while appointing a new leadership team to oversee its biofuels operations.
Airbus and Indonesia join forces to produce 100 million tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel
Airbus Singapore and Bogor Agricultural University in Indonesia are developing aviation fuel from biomass, aiming for an annual capacity of 100 million tonnes.
Fusion Fuel takes 51% stake in South African joint venture for industrial energy project
Fusion Fuel Green PLC will invest €480,000 in a South African joint venture to deploy proprietary boiler technology at an industrial site, with cash flows expected from the first year.
France struggles to integrate biofuels into its energy decarbonisation strategy
The national strategy grants limited space to biofuels and biocombustibles, despite their immediate potential to reduce emissions, putting the sector in difficulty as it calls for a clear regulatory framework and stronger institutional support.
The e-fuels market targets $66.25bn by 2030 driven by Asia-Pacific momentum
E-fuels growth is accelerating with the market expected to reach $66.25bn by 2030, fuelled by Asia-Pacific’s industrial expansion, technological advances, and investments in hydrogen and ammonia infrastructure.

All the latest energy news, all the time

Annual subscription

8.25$/month*

*billed annually at 99$/year for the first year then 149,00$/year ​

Unlimited access - Archives included - Pro invoice

START - 99$/year

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2$/month*
then 14.90$ per month thereafter

*Prices shown are exclusive of VAT, which may vary according to your location or professional status.

Since 2021: 30,000 articles - +150 analyses/week.