We are pleased to announce that Prof. Cheng Song, Assistant Professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), has successfully secured a grant of around HK$1.4 million from the Innovation and Technology Support Programme (ITSP) Seed Fund under the Innovation and Technology Fund. The project, titled "Developing a ‘Drop-in’ Sustainable Aviation Fuel with Blending Ratio above 50% Based on Localized Feedstocks in Hong Kong", addresses one of the most critical challenges in the aviation industry’s transition to carbon neutrality.
Currently, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is the primary solution for reducing civil aviation emissions; however, its application is strictly limited by international standards to a maximum blending ratio of 50% with conventional jet fuels. Prof. Cheng’s research aims to break through this "blending bottleneck" by developing an innovative SAF sourced from localized Hong Kong feedstocks that can be used at ratios exceeding 50% while remaining fully "drop-in" compatible with existing jet engine infrastructure.
This project aligns perfectly with the Hong Kong Government's increasingly ambitious climate policies. In the 2025-26 Budget, the Government reaffirmed its commitment to establishing Hong Kong as a regional hub for sustainable aviation. Notably, authorities have set a target for 1% to 2% of all flights departing from Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) to be powered by SAF by 2030. To support this mandate, the government is actively exploring the construction of a dedicated SAF landing and blending facility in Hong Kong to bolster the local supply chain. By providing a localized solution for high-performance SAF, Prof. Cheng’s work will directly assist in fulfilling these targets and aid the government in formulating oriented policies for SAF certification.
Launched in November 1999, the Innovation and Technology Support Programme (ITSP) (Platform & Seed) aims to support applied research and development (R&D) projects undertaken by R&D Centres or designated local public research institutes, aiming to transfer the R&D results to local industries, with strong commercialisation potential or exploratory and forward-looking in nature.
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