Japan’s Daio Paper to develop biorefinery

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Japanese paper manufacturer Daio Paper announced that they are partnering with domestic biorefinery specialist Green Earth Institute (GEI) to develop and test biorefinery technology by 2030 with the goal to commercially produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), second-generation bioethanol, and biodegradable plastic feedstock by 2033.

Daio’s biorefinery will utilize readily available resources like wooden biomass, waste paper, and paper sludge.

While the exact location and production capacity remain undisclosed, the project has received backing from New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), a Japanese government research institute.

This shift isn’t unique in the Japanese paper industry.

Fellow paper producer Nippon Paper is also collaborating with GEI on biorefinery technology, targeting bioethanol production for SAF and petrochemicals by 2028.

Additionally, Japan is pushing for a 10% SAF mandate for international flights departing from Japanese airports by 2030.