China's self-developed biofuel powering overseas cargo flight

A cargo flight using China's self-developed aviation biofuel has arrived in Belgium after a 12-hour journey from Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, marking the first time that the country uses such fuel for an international cargo route since it was mass produced this year, according to Sinopec Group. Biojet fuel is a type of sustainable aviation fuel made from renewable resources such as catering-sector waste oil, animal and vegetable oil, and agricultural and forestry waste. It has been shown to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 50% compared with traditional petroleum based aviation kerosene throughout its lifecycle, according to China Central Television. In 2009, Sinopec developed biofuel production technology with independent intellectual property rights, and built a set of test equipment by using Sinopec's own production facilities. The development of the fuel aided the completion of the first test flight in 2013, the first commercial flight in 2015 and the first transoceanic flight with biofuel in 2017. The progress has made China the fourth country in the world with independent research and development and production technology of aviation biofuel after the US, France and Finland, according to media reports.<br/>