[Source: Supplied]

Fiji Airways has announced a major collaboration with the Fiji Sugar Industry and other stakeholders to explore the feasibility of Sustainable Aviation Fuel production in the country.

In a statement, the national airline says it has collaborated with FSC, Lee Enterprises Consulting, and the Asian Development Bank on this venture.

It says this initiative has the potential to support sustainable aviation and agriculture in the Pacific region, as well as to create new economic opportunities for local farmers and communities in Fiji.

It adds the initiative funded by the ADB aims to evaluate the feasibility of establishing a comprehensive SAF production and utilization model in Fiji that leverages available local agricultural resources, international cutting-edge expertise, and Fiji’s dynamic national airline.

It further says the study will evaluate the use of sugar cane and its waste products as inputs to ethanol production and additional sources of energy, which can subsequently be processed into SAF.

It will also evaluate molasses, sugar, bagasse, and biomass as potential feedstocks for SAF production.

Lee Enterprises Consulting on the other hand is a globally recognized leader in biofuels and alternative energy consulting, who will lead the technological and economic feasibility study of converting bagasse, sugar, cane juice and/or molasses produced by the Fiji Sugar Corporation Limited into ethanol-based SAF.

Fiji Airways says this partnership is poised to position Fiji as a leader in the development, production, and utilization of SAF in the Pacific, with the potential to showcase a model that can be replicated in other regions.

It says the successful implementation of this project will contribute to global efforts to reduce aviation emissions, support sustainable agriculture, and create new economic opportunities for local investment in both industry and agriculture.