An international consortium has signed an agreement to set up Uzbekistan’s first integrated facility for producing ethanol and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), marking a step toward cleaner fuel development in the region.
The project, reported by GreenAir News, will be developed in two stages. In the initial phase, industrial waste gases will be converted into ethanol. In the second phase, the ethanol will be further processed into SAF. Once operational, the facility is expected to produce about 80,000 tonnes of SAF annually, GreenAir News reported.
The consortium includes US-based LanzaTech, which will provide its LanzaFlex technology to convert industrial emissions into ethanol. Its sister company, LanzaJet, will handle the conversion of ethanol into SAF using its alcohol-to-jet technology and support certification processes.
Uzbekistan’s NavoiyAzot will supply the industrial site, infrastructure, and feedstock, while Switzerland-based VEMA will oversee project development, financing, and certification.
Farrukh Samadov, Chairman of NavoiyAzot, said the initiative could mark the beginning of a new phase in the country’s industrial development, positioning the company as a base for SAF production. Vitalii Negoduiko of VEMA said the goal is to create a regional SAF hub by combining global technologies with local resources.
Jim Woodger of LanzaTech said the project would turn industrial emissions into a useful resource by converting carbon-rich gases into ethanol for further processing. LanzaJet CEO Jimmy Samartzis added that Uzbekistan has the potential to become an important centre for SAF production in the Eurasian region.
The consortium will now carry out a feasibility study to assess the project’s structure and investment needs. The initiative is part of Uzbekistan’s broader plans to modernise industry, cut emissions, and meet rising global demand for sustainable aviation fuel.
The development follows an earlier agreement by LanzaJet with Kazakhstan’s national oil company to advance a similar SAF project, which has already moved into the design phase after initial studies.
