Indian Oil Corporation's Panipat Refinery secures India's inaugural ISCC CORSIA accreditation for Sustainable Aviation Fuel production
In a significant stride towards sustainable aviation and energy transition, the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) has been awarded the ISCC CORSIA Certification for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production at its Panipat Refinery. This marks a first for India, as the refinery becomes the country's first to gain international recognition for producing SAF that meets the highest global sustainability and lifecycle carbon emission standards under the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) CORSIA framework.
The certification enables commercial-scale production and supply of SAF from India, a critical step in decarbonizing the aviation sector and reducing carbon emissions associated with air travel. This move aligns India's fuel production standards with global best practices, validating IOCL's capability to produce sustainable fuels that comply with stringent international criteria for emissions and traceability.
The ISCC CORSIA Certification also supports India's clean energy and aviation decarbonization goals. Notably, the MoU signed between IndianOil and Air India to supply CORSIA-compliant SAF for international flights demonstrates this collaboration.
Moreover, the certification strengthens India's position as a leader in sustainable aviation fuel production and energy transition. It sets a benchmark for other domestic refiners and industry players to scale up SAF production, contributing towards global aviation emissions reduction targets and supporting the country's energy sustainability transition.
The advancement of ethanol blending targets has also been noteworthy. Originally aimed for 20 per cent blending (E20) by 2030, the target was advanced to 2025. By 2022, India achieved 10 per cent blending, five months ahead of schedule, and the 20 per cent ethanol blending target has already been achieved in the current Ethanol Supply Year.
This remarkable growth in ethanol blending has helped reduce India's dependence on imported crude oil, leading to a significant saving of Rs 1.36 lakh crore in foreign exchange. The savings due to reduced dependence on imported crude oil, however, were not mentioned earlier.
Last Monday, Indian Oil's Panipat Refinery was announced as the first SAF producer in India. The SAF produced at IndianOil's Panipat Refinery has undergone rigorous assessment for lifecycle carbon emissions and traceability. The certification ceremony was held in New Delhi, attended by senior officials from the petroleum ministry, DGCA, NABCB, and other organizations.
The event was commended by IndianOil Chairman, MoPNG Joint Secretary, DGCA Jt. DG, and NABCB Sr Director for the collaborative efforts. This milestone is a step towards the government's vision of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. The ISCC CORSIA certification is a testament to IOCL's commitment to sustainability and its role in shaping a greener future for India's aviation sector.
- The Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) has earned the ISCC CORSIA Certification for SAF production, a first for India in the news of sustainable aviation and energy transition.
- The certification allows for commercial-scale production and supply of SAF, an essential step in reducing carbon emissions from the aviation industry's opinion on climate change.
- The move aligns IOCL's fuel production standards with global best practices in the business sector, demonstrating its capability in producing sustainable fuels.
- The ISCC CORSIA Certification supports India's goals in clean energy and aviation decarbonization, as shown by the MoU between IndianOil and Air India for supplying CORSIA-compliant SAF.
- The certification positions India as a leader in sustainable aviation fuel production, setting a benchmark for other domestic refiners and industry players in environmental-science.
- With the advancement of ethanol blending targets, India has already achieved its 20 per cent ethanol blending target, a significant achievement in personal-finance due to the savings in foreign exchange.
- Last Monday, Indian Oil's Panipat Refinery was announced as the first SAF producer in India, a development in technology that underwent rigorous assessment for lifecycle carbon emissions and traceability.
- The sports-betting world might see India making strides in sustainable aviation and energy transition, as the ISCC CORSIA certification is a testament to IOCL's commitment to sustainability and its role in shaping a greener future, contributing to the government's vision of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
