Japan Airlines is testing a biodiesel fuel made from byproducts of rice bran oil, in what the company describes as a world first. The trial is part of JAL’s broader effort to develop lower-carbon fuels for aviation using domestic feedstocks.
The fuel is designed as a sustainable aviation fuel-type alternative and is being developed with Japanese industrial partners. The company is using the test to assess the technical and environmental feasibility of turning rice bran oil residues into aviation fuel rather than relying on food-grade oils.
The project fits into JAL’s wider decarbonization strategy. The airline has already backed other SAF initiatives, including its “Fry to Fly” program based on used cooking oil, and has said it aims to source 10% of its fuel from SAF by 2030.
The latest test is an early-stage validation step and is not a commercial deployment. The article does not provide details on blend ratios, certification standards, aircraft type or test volumes.