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Researchers Transform Food Waste into Sustainable Aviation Fuel

11/3/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign developed a method to convert food waste into sustainable aviation fuel.
The process uses hydrothermal liquefaction to produce biocrude oil, refined via catalytic hydrotreating.
The resulting fuel passed tests by the American Society for Testing and Materials and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The work addresses food waste and greenhouse gas emissions and could help the aviation industry's net-zero target by 2050.

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Story summary

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign developed a method to convert food waste into sustainable aviation fuel.
The process uses hydrothermal liquefaction to produce biocrude oil, refined via catalytic hydrotreating.
The resulting fuel passed tests by the American Society for Testing and Materials and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The work addresses food waste and greenhouse gas emissions and could help the aviation industry's net-zero target by 2050.