From Pyrolysis Oil to Jet Fuel: A Revolutionary Path to Sustainable Aviation

As the aviation industry faces growing pressure to decarbonize, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) has emerged as a key solution to reducing lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. While bio-based and synthetic SAF options have received much attention, a less-discussed but highly promising route is now gaining momentum: converting waste tires into jet fuel through continuous pyrolysis.

1. The Challenge: Greener Skies, Cleaner Sources Aviation accounts for about 2–3% of global carbon emissions, and its demand is projected to rise sharply in the coming decades. Traditional fossil-based jet fuel remains the dominant energy source, making decarbonization particularly difficult. One of the key strategies to address this challenge is SAF — fuels that can replace conventional kerosene while offering significant emission reductions across their lifecycle.

2. What is Continuous Tire Pyrolysis? Continuous pyrolysis is an advanced thermochemical process that decomposes materials like end-of-life tires at high temperatures in an oxygen-free environment continuous tyre pyrolysis plant. Unlike batch pyrolysis, the continuous process allows for uninterrupted feedstock input and product output, making it more efficient and scalable for industrial use.

Through this process, tires — which are composed of synthetic rubber, carbon black, steel, and oils — can be broken down into:

Pyrolysis oil (also called tire-derived oil or TDO)

Carbon black (recovered for industrial reuse)

Pyrolytic gas (used to power the system itself)

Scrap steel (recyclable)

3. From TDO to Jet Fuel The key innovation lies in upgrading pyrolysis oil into aviation-grade fuel. This involves several steps:

Hydrotreatment: Removing impurities like sulfur, nitrogen, and aromatic compounds to stabilize the oil.

Hydrocracking or isomerization: Breaking down heavy molecules and rearranging them into hydrocarbons with desired properties.

Distillation and blending: Producing a final SAF product that meets international standards (e.g., ASTM D7566).

The result is a drop-in jet fuel with significantly reduced carbon intensity — and derived from a waste product that would otherwise pollute the environment.

4. Environmental and Economic Advantages Carbon reduction: Lifecycle emissions of SAF from tire-derived oil can be up to 80% lower than conventional jet fuel.

Waste valorization: Turns a major pollution source (scrap tires) into a valuable fuel.

Energy self-sufficiency: The pyrolysis process produces its own fuel gas, reducing external energy demand.

Economic potential: With millions of tons of tires discarded globally each year, the feedstock is abundant and cheap.

5. Conclusion: A Circular Flight Path The journey from discarded tires to high-altitude jet engines may seem improbable — but it represents a powerful synergy of waste management, green chemistry, and clean transportation. By transforming tire pyrolysis oil into certified jet fuel, we not only address the growing demand for SAF but also chart a new course in the circular economy.

This is not just a technical breakthrough — it’s a pathway revolution for sustainable aviation.