China pushes carbon dioxide-to-jet fuel breakthrough as global prices soar

Chinese scientists are advancing a new technology that could transform greenhouse gases into aviation fuel, offering a potential lifeline to an airline industry strained by surging energy costs, the South China Morning Post reported Wednesday.

Researchers from the Shanghai Advanced Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Science have moved their carbon dioxide conversion process beyond the laboratory, aiming for large-scale production.

Their work focuses on turning carbon dioxide directly into long-chain hydrocarbons -- key ingredients for jet fuel -- through a process that effectively reverses combustion by combining waste gas with water to create energy-dense liquid fuel.

The development comes as global jet fuel prices have skyrocketed, driven by geopolitical tensions, supply disruptions and rising crude oil costs.

Analysts link the spike to instability in energy markets due to the US-Israeli war on Iran.

According to findings published in ACS Catalysis, a premier monthly peer-reviewed journal published by the American Chemical Society, the Chinese team has made progress in overcoming longstanding technical barriers.

Scientists have struggled for years to efficiently grow carbon chains and selectively produce the longer molecules needed for aviation fuel at scale.

If successfully commercialized, the technology could reduce reliance on fossil fuels while recycling carbon emissions, an approach that may reshape both the aviation sector and the broader energy landscape.