JAL invests in MORISORA Bio Refinery for woody ethanol-based SAF

In Japan, Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. has invested in MORISORA Bio Refinery LLC to advance sustainable aviation fuel produced from domestically sourced woody biomass bioethanol. MORISORA Bio Refinery is a joint venture established in July 2025 by three companies: Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd., Sumitomo Corporation, and Green Earth Institute Inc. As part of the “Project MORISORA,” the joint venture seeks  to commercialize the production  and sale of bioethanol and biochemical products derived from woody biomass feedstock. A demonstration plant will be constructed within Nippon Paper’s Iwanuma mill in Miyagi Prefecture, using sustainable forest resources such as wood processing residues from the Tohoku region. Utilizing GEI’s low-carbon, low-cost bioethanol production technology, the plant aims to produce over 1,000 kiloliters of bioethanol annually starting in 2027.

JAL has promoted the adoption of biofuels for over 10 years and has participated in Project MORISORA since March 2025. This investment, as an airline company and SAF user, supports the establishment of a “purely domestic SAF” business on wood sourced within Japan.

On October 3, 2025, a groundbreaking ceremony called “Jichin-sai” was held at the demonstration plant site within Nippon Paper’s Iwanuma mill. The plant is scheduled for completion in fiscal year 2026, with plans to operate a commercial facility capable of producing tens of thousands of kiloliters of bioethanol and biochemical products annually by 2030.