Bio-Aviation Fuel via Catalytic Hydrocracking of Waste Cooking Oil

The aviation industry faces critical challenges regarding environmental sustainability due to the drawbacks associated with conventional jet fuels. These fuels, primarily derived from fossil sources, contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. Biomass-based alternatives have emerged as promising solutions, but they present their own set of challenges, including feedstock limitations and complex conversion processes. Waste cooking oil, readily available and abundant, emerges as a sustainable savior, offering an environmentally friendly feedstock option. Various methods for producing bio-aviation fuel like transesterification and Fischer–Tropsch from diverse sources like lignocellulosic biomass, and edible and nonedible plants seed-based oil have been investigated, with hydrocracking standing out as the preferred choice. It offers high conversion efficiency, superior product quality, and versatility in meeting stringent jet fuel specification protocols. The jet fuels produced from waste cooking oils through hydrocracking demonstrate exceptional compatibility with industry standards, ensuring seamless integration into existing aviation infrastructure. This chapter covers the promising aspect of waste cooking oil as a valuable feedstock for bio-aviation fuel production, highlighting the merits of catalytic hydrocracking in achieving sustainability objectives within the aviation sector.