GPS Renewables and CSIR-NCL Launch NG SAF: Indigenous Ethanol-to-SAF Technology for Commercial-Scale Aviation Fuel Production

GPS Renewables, a global full-stack renewable oil & gas company specializing in climate-positive biofuel projects, has partnered with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL) to launch NG SAF, India’s first indigenous Ethanol-to-Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) technology at a commercial scale. The same process can also be adapted to produce SAF from methanol.

Under this collaboration, GPS Renewables will commercialize CSIR-NCL’s patented oligomerization catalyst technology, enabling a one-step conversion of ethylene and other olefins into aviation-grade hydrocarbons. While several players have demonstrated Ethanol-to-Jet Fuel processes at a laboratory level, commercial-scale production has remained a global challenge—something NG SAF aims to overcome.

With exclusive rights to the CSIR-NCL technology, GPS Renewables will engineer the first commercial-scale Ethanol-to-Jet plant, marking a breakthrough for India’s aviation decarbonization roadmap.

Currently, SAF production worldwide relies heavily on the HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids) pathway, which uses Used Cooking Oil (UCO) and animal fats. However, in India, large-scale HEFA production is limited due to the absence of an organized UCO collection system and restrictions on UCO imports. By leveraging 2G biomass-derived ethanol as a feedstock, NG SAF provides a sustainable and scalable alternative tailored to India’s ecosystem.

Gomatam Ravi, CTO, GPS Renewables, said: “We are thrilled to partner with CSIR-NCL to build an indigenous SAF technology that can position India as a leader in aviation decarbonization. While many have demonstrated the process at lab scale, none have succeeded in industrial-scale Ethanol-to-SAF production. With NG SAF, we aim to change that.”

Dr. Ashish Lele, Director, CSIR-NCL, added: “Scientific research, when coupled with industry collaboration, can deliver transformative solutions. This indigenous NG SAF technology, built on CSIR-NCL’s patented oligomerization process, has the potential to be a game-changer for the aviation sector.”

Highlighting the team behind the project, Mainak Chakraborty, Co-Founder & CEO of GPS Renewables, said: “The advisory panel for NG SAF includes world-class experts such as Dr. Anjan Ray (Former Director, UOP & IIP), Dr. Arvind Lali (ICT Mumbai), Dr. Ashish Lele (CSIR-NCL), Dr. Samir Chikkali (NCL), and our in-house engineering team with decades of global experience across Petrofac, Petronas, Technip, Toyo, McDermott, and L&T. Together, we are building an indigenous solution that can redefine India’s clean aviation future.”

With NG SAF, India takes a significant step toward indigenous, scalable, and sustainable aviation fuel production, reinforcing its commitment to achieving net-zero targets and reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels.