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Korea’s coffee sector is booming. With hundreds of new shops opening across the country—and more coffee being brewed—there’s also been an increase in spent coffee grounds. The country generated an estimated 150,000 metric tons of coffee grounds in 2021, most of which ended up in landfills.
Coffee waste is a longstanding problem. Researchers have been looking for ways to repurpose spent grounds, from using it to make concrete stronger to filtering polluted water and creating biofuels. Now, the Korean government wants to use coffee waste to fuel airplanes.
Aviation fuel prices have risen sharply since late February. In response to attacks from the United States and Israel, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway in the global crude oil trade. Jet fuel production has plummeted, leading some countries to ration supplies.
Korea has launched a research initiative to develop methods for manufacturing sustainable aviation fuel from waste products such as coffee grounds. Korea is the world’s largest exporter of conventional jet fuel, but it has also begun focusing on sustainable alternatives. By 2035, all international flights departing Korean airports must use fuel containing 10% sustainable aviation fuel. Now the country is looking to expand the types of waste products it uses to create fuel.
At the moment, Korea’s fuel alternatives are mostly made from used cooking oil. But the government is seeking additional raw materials and has invested $32 million in the new program to assess the potential of various waste products, including coffee.
“This initiative marks a milestone in building a circular economy ecosystem,” said Kim Go-eung, from the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment. “It transforms overlooked waste into a strategic resource for a crucial national industry.”
Read more on coffee-based jet fuel from The Korea Times here.
