Japan’s Eneos signs UCO deal with restaurant operator

Japanese energy major Eneos Corporation announced that it has signed used cooking oil (UCO) purchase agreement with local firm Chikaranomoto Holdings which operates food-related businesses including restaurants to be recycled into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The company said that it will put a streamlined process in place to collect waste cooking oil from the restaurants, including its brands as well as from food factories operated by Chikaranomoto.

The UCO will be used as a raw material at the SAF production plant being developed at ENEOS’ Wakayama Production Center in Arita City, Wakayama, which has a capacity of 400,000 kiloliters/year.

Earlier, Eneos signed a partnership with Zensho Holdings – operator of restaurant chains to be used at its Wakayama site.

Japanese petroleum and metals conglomerate Eneos Holdings earlier said it is targeting to secure 50% of the total SAF market of Japan by 2050 through reviving closed refineries.

The company said it plans to utilise Wakayama refinery site, which terminated its refinery operation, advancing commercialization of SAF business to make it one of the main production sites for SAF in Japan.

It further added it has already concluded a joint agreement on construction of SAF supply chain with Wakayama prefecture, Kao, Suntory.