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Recently, the oil-based sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) developed by Professor Zhao Chen’s team at the Center for Science and Technology of Renewable Carbon Resources at East China Normal University passed the rigorous tests conducted by the Second Civil Aviation Research Institute of China; all 48 test parameters met the requirements, satisfying the standards for Jet Fuel Type 3. Currently, Shanghai Airport Group has decided to collaborate with Zhao Chen’s team to establish a company aimed at building a thousand-ton pilot plant in Shanghai. At the same time, the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission also found suppliers of SAF raw material, namely gutter oil, for this project, to work together on advancing the pilot production. It is understood that the research team developed a new technical approach through methods such as process optimization and catalyst improvement. Compared with the HEFA (hydrogenation of esters and fatty acids) route, the new approach requires less energy, yields higher results, and reduces production costs by over 30%. Furthermore, the new type of SAF contains more components such as aromatics, and is expected to completely replace petroleum-based aviation fuel, rather than being blended with it in a certain proportion. Currently, Zhao Chen’s team is working together with COMAC and AECC to improve the compatibility of the new SAF with domestic large aircraft and engines. According to statistics, about 99% of the carbon emissions in the civil aviation industry come from the consumption of aviation kerosene, and it is becoming a trend to gradually replace petroleum-based aviation fuel with green fuels. “Over the next 30 years, the scale of the SAF industry will continue to grow, with its output value expected to reach trillions of yuan. ”Zhao Chen said.