Recently, the Methanol Institute (MI), an international research organization in the methanol industry, released a report titled "Methanol-to-Jet Sustainable Aviation Fuel: Policy, Techno-Economics, and Commercial Prospects." The report highlights that methanol-to-jet fuel (MtJ) holds significant potential to become a major contributor to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) due to its multiple advantages. According to the report, global jet fuel demand is projected to increase by 50% by 2050, while the gap between the aviation industry's climate goals and the supply of low-cost, low-carbon fuels continues to widen. Existing SAF production pathways struggle to meet the total demand, but MtJ, with its superior emission performance, strong scalability potential, and cost advantages, emerges as a key solution to bridge this gap. Currently, the global methanol industry chain boasts an annual production capacity exceeding 100 million tons, with renewable and low-carbon methanol capacity expanding rapidly, providing a solid industrial foundation for the large-scale development of MtJ.

Alexander Döll, CEO of the Methanol Institute, stated that the core challenge for the aviation industry has shifted from verifying the feasibility of SAF to rapidly scaling up fuel production capacity. Leveraging the mature global methanol industrial system, MtJ possesses the practical conditions for large-scale implementation. Policy direction in the coming years will determine its development pace, and releasing clear market signals is crucial for advancing the MtJ industry at present.

The report's key findings indicate that renewable methanol-based MtJ can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by 70% to 90% compared to conventional jet fuel. It also demonstrates cost competitiveness over other SAF production routes, such as Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and advanced alcohol-to-jet pathways. With policy support, MtJ is expected to achieve cost parity with fossil-based jet fuel by 2040. The commercialization of MtJ is accelerating, with related technologies currently undergoing ASTM International standard certification. Commercial aviation applications are anticipated by 2026.

In terms of production capacity, as of August 2025, global MtJ projects under construction are expected to add an annual capacity of approximately 1.8 million tons. By 2030, global renewable and low-carbon methanol production capacity is projected to exceed 60 million tons, with China accounting for half of the global project volume, followed by Europe and North America, making these regions the primary hubs for the global MtJ industry's development.