Oligomerization of bio-olefins for bio-jet fuel

Bio-olefins can be produced via numerous processes, such as fermentation and biomass gasification coupled with Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Some of these processes are operated at laboratory scale, while others have been implemented at the industrial scale. Industrial-scale bio-olefin production includes ethanol dehydration and olefin metathesis. The olefins derived from biomass resources can be converted into jet fuel through oligomerization and isomerization processes. This pathway of producing jet fuels provides a carbon-neutral solution to the aviation industry. In this chapter, various processes for producing bio-olefins are discussed and evaluated for jet-fuel production. In particular, catalyst development and the reaction mechanism of light olefin oligomerization are discussed. It is suggested that biomass-derived jet fuel (C8–C16) has the potential to decarbonize the aviation industry, making it an attractive substitution for fossil fuels.