AIR CARG O WEEK


PARIS AIR SHOW PREVIEW F


FUELLING THE FUTURE BY Edward HARDY W 06


“It is infrastructure compatible and requires no adaption of engines.”


ith mounting pressure from regulators, investors, and consumers, the airfreight industry is determined to achieve its aspirational net zero goals by the 2050 deadline. However, the lack of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and the challenges around increasing production


risks derailing those goals. Ahead of the Paris Air Show, CleanJoule is looking to present a potential solution to that situation, through its CycloSAF product. “CleanJoule invented a novel SAF pathway that leads to the creation


of CycloSAF,” Mukund Karajikar, CEO and founder of CleanJoule, said. “It is superior to other pathways for several reasons: It contains a higher proportion of cycloalkanes that renders the fuel 10% more energy-dense than Jet A; eliminates aromatics, which impacts non-CO2 emissions including soot; leverages a more abundant biomass feedstock, including agricultural residues, which there is an abundance of globally, largely in rural areas of countries; and enables CycloSAF to scale to meet aviation’s rising fuel demands. Reduces engine maintenance.” Unlike many SAFs that require blending and adaptation, CycloSAF


is a 100% drop-in replacement for Jet A, meaning no changes are required to airport storage, refueling infrastructure, or aircraft engines. “It is infrastructure compatible and requires no adaptation of engines or associated delivery infrastructure,” Karajikar noted, a detail that removes one of the biggest barriers to immediate deployment. But


eliminates aromatics, reducing non-CO2


the advantages go beyond drop-in convenience. CycloSAF emissions like soot, which can


contribute heavily to the aviation sector’s climate impact. “This enables CycloSAF to scale to meet aviation’s rising fuel demands,” Karajikar stated, adding that their feedstock strategy also opens the door to job creation in rural, underserved areas worldwide. As industry executives and policy leaders circle around SAF booths at Le


Bourget, CleanJoule’s proposition lands with weight: CycloSAF isn’t just green—it’s engineered for performance, scale, and global parity.


The new currency For an industry that lives and dies by weight, range, and fuel costs, CleanJoule’s emphasis on energy density isn’t a niche scientific improvement. “Superior fuels boost energy density by 10–25% compared to Jet A, extending the range and operational reach of aircraft,” Karajikar explained. In airfreight, this translates to fewer fuel stops, more direct routes, and leaner fleets—outcomes that directly influence the bottom line in an increasingly price-sensitive cargo market. That 10% density increase means not only more miles per gallon, but


more cargo per trip. “Fewer assets are needed for missions, cutting costs and logistics,” Karajikar emphasised. This is especially impactful in vast geographies like the Indo-Pacific, where aircraft may fly for hours over remote territories. Extended endurance directly reduces the logistical footprint and enhances the responsiveness of airfreight operations—an essential factor for sectors like emergency supply chains, defence logistics, and just-in-time manufacturing.


Building a fuel supply chain Scaling SAF to meet global demand isn’t just about chemistry; it’s about


ACW09 JUNE 2025 www.aircargoweek.com


geography, policy, and economics. CleanJoule’s vision lies in its holistic approach to the supply chain—from source to sky. “By developing and delivering a truly superior product that taps a more abundant biomass feedstock, including agricultural residues, we are able to produce SAF at the scale needed to meet increasing fuel demands,” Karajikar said. Unlike fossil fuels, this biomass is not locked beneath foreign soil or


geopolitical fault lines. “This biomass exists everywhere on the planet, including rural areas of all countries,” he continues. By rooting SAF production in agricultural byproducts, CleanJoule transforms crop waste into energy gold—turning what was once discarded into a pillar of energy security and climate equity. “It’s an excellent opportunity to develop an industry of tomorrow and create jobs for rural, less privileged populations in their respective countries,” Karajikar noted. To actualise this vision, CleanJoule is already breaking ground.


“CleanJoule is currently building its first industrial plant in Salt Lake City, which will serve as a blueprint for commercial-scale production facilities globally,” says Karajikar. This facility will not only validate commercial- scale production but also set the stage for a globally distributed SAF network, replicable in diverse economies. And regional partnerships will be key. “We selected a process that


had abundant feedstock resources so that our SAF can be produced anywhere in the world,” Karajikar explains. By designing for local adaptability, CleanJoule ensures its fuel can be made where it’s needed, not just where it’s cheapest, solving for both logistics and equity in one strategic move.


Closer than you think Ambitious as the industry’s net-zero-by-2050 goal may seem, CleanJoule argues the clock is ticking faster than many realize. “IATA says achieving net-zero by 2050 will require at least a 65% decarbonization contribution from SAF,” Karajikar reminded. CleanJoule is positioning CycloSAF as the only SAF ready to fill


tanks without blending. “Since CycloSAF is heavier / denser than Jet A, CleanJoule has the ability to be the 100% drop-in replacement for Jet A... Once regulation and approvals adjust so that SAF can fill 100% of the tanks, CleanJoule’s tech will be part of bringing about that evolution,” says Karajikar. But regulation is only half the battle. Economics, too, must align. “Our


focus has always been to produce at Jet A cost, which we will meet when we produce at commercial-scale operations,” he asserts. That goal—Jet A parity—is the golden ratio for SAF: make it clean, make it better, and make it cost-competitive. On the regulatory front, CleanJoule is pushing for broader acceptance


of alternative fuel pathways. “ASTM approval of new pathways like CleanJoule’s CycloSAF are important to increase the SAF pool,” Karajikar explains. More approved fuels mean more supply, more competition, and— ultimately—greater adoption. With evolving regulations in the EU and US mandating higher SAF blend


ratios, freight operators must begin preparing now. “Evolving regulations will require more SAF production and higher SAF blends,” says Karajikar. Those that move early will benefit from preferential routes, regulatory incentives, and leadership positions in a transforming industry.


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