COSMO’s Commitment to Domestic SAF for a Sustainable Future

With a focus on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), the Cosmo Energy Group is working toward achieving net zero carbon emissions by undertaking Japan’s first large-scale production of locally made SAF.

What is Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)?

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is an aviation fuel produced from feedstocks such as used cooking oil and plants, rather than fossil resources. Compared to conventional aviation fuels, SAF can reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 84%¹ over its entire lifecycle, thereby helping to minimize its environmental impact.

One of SAF’s advantages is its ease of adoption, as it can be used with existing infrastructure, including aircraft, storage facilities, and refueling equipment, without the need for modifications.

As a result, SAF is being adopted worldwide, and the Japanese government plans to mandate its supply to help achieve its 2030 target of reducing aviation greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 5%.

1. CO2 reduction in the used cooking oil-derived SAF production process adopted by the Group, based on International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) calculations.

Pioneering Locally Made SAF Production in Japan

Aiming for Annual Domestic SAF Production of 30,000 Kiloliters

SAF is made from feedstocks such as used cooking oil, microalgae, wood chips, sugarcane, and wastepaper. The Cosmo Energy Group, however, is focusing on producing SAF from used cooking oil.

Construction of the SAF production unit at Cosmo Oil's Sakai Refinery began in May 2023 and was completed on December 25, 2024. The facility now operates as Japan’s first SAF mass-production unit, with an annual production capacity of approximately 30,000 kiloliters.

Journey to Completion of Japan’s First Large-Scale Production Demonstration Facility for Locally Made SAF (Sakai Refinery, Osaka Prefecture)

(Following construction completion)

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(Photo taken on November 19, 2024)

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(Photo taken on October 25, 2024)

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(Photo taken on September 20, 2024)

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(Photo taken on July 5, 2024)

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(Photo taken on June 7, 2024)

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(Photo taken on May 10, 2024)

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(Photo taken on April 19, 2024)

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(Photo taken on April 5, 2024)

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(Photo taken on March 22, 2024)

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(Photo taken on March 9, 2024)

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(Photo taken on February 24, 2024)

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(Photo taken on February 10, 2024)

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(Prior to commencement of construction)

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Cosmo Energy Group companies—Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd. and Cosmo Oil Marketing Co., Ltd.—and SAFFAIRE SKY ENERGY LLC² cooperated with REVO International Inc. to become the first in Japan to obtain both ISCC³ CORSIA and ISCC EU certifications⁴ for their entire SAF supply chain, covering processes from feedstock procurement to SAF production and sales. Cosmo Oil Marketing started supplying SAF that meets international standards to airlines and other entities in April 2025.

^{2. SAFFAIRE SKY ENERGY LLC was established in 2022 by Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., JGC HOLDINGS CORPORATION, and REVO International Inc.}

^{3. International Sustainability & Carbon Certification: an initiative that recognizes compliance with international standards for sustainable products}

4. Press release issued on December 13, 2024:Cosmo and SAFFAIRE SKY ENERGY Obtain ISCC CORSIA and ISCC EU Certifications ～Japan’s First SAF Production Base to Be ISCC-Certified～ | Press Release | COSMO ENERGY GROUP

Overview of the Used Cooking Oil-Derived SAF Supply Chain

The Cosmo Energy Group plays a critical role in the SAF supply chain.

The above diagram provides a comprehensive overview of the SAF supply chain, which can be broadly divided into three stages: collection, production and transportation, and utilization.

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The Cosmo Energy Group collects used cooking oil from households via dedicated collection boxes installed at certain service stations.

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Used cooking oil is initially collected in various types of containers from restaurants and other facilities across Japan. After being transported to a feedstock collection center, it is transferred into dedicated one-kiloliter containers. These containers are then transported by truck from the feedstock collection center to a facility for receiving used cooking oil, known as a secondary relay station, located on the premises of Cosmo Oil's Sakai Refinery.

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The used cooking oil delivered to the secondary relay station is first processed using a centrifugal separator to remove impurities, then chemically treated for recycling into SAF that complies with international standards. The SAF production unit is capable of producing approximately 30,000 kiloliters of neat SAF (100% SAF that does not contain any fossil fuel) annually. However, as current regulations do not permit the fueling of aircraft solely with neat SAF, it is blended with fossil-derived jet fuel to produce a blended SAF.

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The blended SAF is shipped by sea from a pier on the refinery premises. Since April 2025, the fuel has been supplied to Kansai, Chubu, and Haneda airports, and it is increasingly being used to power commercial, cargo, and other aircraft.

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Initiatives to Promote the Recycling of Used Cooking Oil

Participating in the Fry to Fly Project

The “Fry to Fly Project” is an initiative that collects used cooking oil from households and restaurants and converts it into SAF. The project involves local governments and businesses across the country, with Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., a member of the Cosmo Energy Group, also participating.

Fry to Fly Project (available in Japanese only)

Partnerships with Local Governments

The Cosmo Energy Group has concluded the following agreements and is advancing collaborative initiatives with local governments aimed at promoting the recycling of used cooking oil.

August 2023: Concluded an agreement with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government after being selected for its Project to Promote Used Cooking Oil Collection⁵
November 2024: Entered into an agreement with Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, to promote the recycling of used cooking oil into SAF and other products⁶
March 2025: Signed a partnership agreement with Suita City, Osaka Prefecture, to promote the adoption of SAF⁷

5. Joint Proposal for Japan's First Large-Scale Domestic SAF Production Selected in a Tokyo Project Promoting Recovery of Used Cooking Oil| Press Release | COSMO ENERGY GROUP

6. Cosmo Oil, JGC, and REVO International Enter into Agreement with Sakai City to Promote the Recycling of Used Cooking Oil into SAF and Other Products Household Used Cooking Oil Collection Boxes to Be Permanently Installed at Five AEON MALL Locations in Osaka Prefecture| Press Release | COSMO ENERGY GROUP

7. Cosmo Oil Signs Partnership Agreement with Suita City to Promote the Adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) ~Used Cooking Oil Collected in Suita City to Be Converted into SAF~| Press Release | COSMO ENERGY GROUP

Facility for receiving used cooking oil as feedstock for SAF

Used cooking oil collection

＜Example initiatives＞

Given that households currently discard much of their used cooking oil, the Cosmo Energy Group is working with corporations and local governments to collect used cooking oil primarily at the following locations in order to recycle it as a valuable domestic resource. (As of August 2025)

Five AEON MALLs in Osaka Prefecture
COSMO service stations（List available only in Japanese)
Tokyo: 55 locations
Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture: 11 locations
Suita City, Osaka Prefecture: 5 locations

Building a Collection System Through an Alliance with Iwatani Corporation

Cosmo Energy Group is collaborating with Iwatani Corporation to strengthen feedstock procurement for the stable supply of domestically produced SAF by establishing a used cooking oil collection system. This system leverages Iwatani’s nationwide LP gas customer base of approximately 3.4 million households, as well as its industrial network.

SAF initiative – Latest information

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