The Israeli Sustainable Aviation Fuel Knowledge Centre (iSAF) was inaugurated at the Technion, with support from the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, and in partnership with Boeing, the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer. The centre marks a significant step towards producing sustainable fuels for the aviation sector.
The centre aims to lead Israel toward its 2030 goals, which focus on developing technologies for the local production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), and prepare for 2050, when international regulations will mandate the exclusive use of SAF.
Led by experts from the Wolfson Faculty of Chemical Engineering, including Centre Director Dr. Alon Grinberg Dana and Centre Manager Ido Lieberman, the centre includes 14 researchers from the Technion, Bar-Ilan University, and Ben-Gurion University.
The centre’s establishment is part of the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology’s efforts to promote applied research that bridges government, academia, and industry, aimed at developing economically viable SAF. The ministry issued a call for proposals to establish a national knowledge centre to consolidate expertise and research infrastructure accessible to all SAF researchers in Israel.
The Technion, selected to lead the initiative, will collaborate closely with Boeing’s global research centre. Additionally, the centre will contribute to training the next generation of scientists and engineers through a “Doctoral Network” and organize annual events, including national conferences, professional workshops, and hackathons.
The centre will operate with five primary goals:
- Developing a national research strategy for alternative aviation fuels.
- Creating world-class advanced research infrastructure.
- Fostering scientific and engineering leadership while training the next generation of scientists in the field.
- Encouraging Israeli and international collaborations between academia and industry.
- Accumulating and disseminating knowledge to researchers, the public, and decision-makers.
The centre is guided by a steering committee comprising representatives from each participating university. The committee is chaired by Prof. Dan Major of Bar-Ilan University and includes Dr. Avi Raveh (representing the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology), Mr. Haggai Mazursky (Boeing), Prof. Gidi Grader (Technion), Prof. Idan Hod (Ben-Gurion University), and Dr. Alon Grinberg Dana (Technion), who will serve as the centre’s director.
The establishment of this centre positions Israel at the forefront of alternative aviation fuels and global sustainability efforts.
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Captions:
- Alon Grinberg Dana
For more information: Doron Shaham, Technion Spokesperson, 050-310-9088
