Chubu Electric Power and JGC Global Launch Feasibility Study for Sorghum-Based SAF Production in Oman

Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. and JGC Global Corp., the overseas EPC business arm of JGC Holdings Corp., have been selected for the "Feasibility Study on Bio-Jet Fuel (SAF) Production using Sorghum" under the "FY2026 Business Environment Development Project for Oil/Gas Producing Countries (Industrial Infrastructure Development Support)" publicly offered by JCCP (Japan Cooperation Center for Petroleum, Energy and Sustainable Resources).

The three parties—Chubu Electric Power, JGC Global, and JCCP—have concluded a participation agreement for this project today.

Sorghum, the feedstock under consideration, is a grass crop known for its high heat and drought tolerance. Capable of growing in infertile soil where crops like wheat or corn struggle, it is highly promising for cultivation in high-temperature, arid environments like the Middle East. Furthermore, sorghum has high sugar content, enabling bioethanol production through fermentation, which makes it an attractive sustainable energy resource.

SAF is a jet fuel produced from biomass fuels, waste cooking oil, or municipal waste. It is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 60–80% compared to fossil-based jet fuel, and its adoption is expanding globally as a critical fuel for decarbonizing the aviation sector.

Chubu Electric Power has focused on sorghum's high biomass productivity and has been conducting research on stable biomass fuel procurement and its use for SAF and bioethanol. Through JCCP, they have also established a relationship with OQ, the Oman state-owned oil company.

JGC Global brings extensive experience in large-scale energy, chemical, and infrastructure projects globally, offering comprehensive support from process study to design, procurement, and construction. They will leverage this capability to ensure high-effectiveness studies for the project's future commercialization.

Under JCCP's support, Chubu Electric Power, as the project lead, will work with JGC Global in Oman to carry out cultivation trials and assess SAF production processes and economic viability. The project is scheduled to run until the end of FY2026. Nagoya University will cooperate in evaluating the local applicability of sorghum cultivation.

Both companies aim to integrate their technical expertise to establish a business model spanning sorghum cultivation in arid regions to SAF production and supply chain construction.