近年來，中國的地溝油從令人聞之色變的「餐桌毒油」，意外搖身一變成為國際市場的「綠色黃金」。這種餐廚廢棄油脂經過科技處理後，不但不再是食品安全的隱患，反而成為全球能源轉型中極具價值的資源，被用來生產生物柴油與可持續航空燃料（SAF），在歐美、日本等地掀起搶購熱潮。這場從「潲水油」到「飛機燃料」的逆襲，不僅體現大陸環保政策的進展，也揭示全球減碳趨勢下的新經濟機會。

中國曾長期飽受地溝油回流餐桌之苦，不法分子將廢油回收後簡單過濾，重新販售給餐館牟利。但隨著當局對食品安全的打擊日益嚴格，加上垃圾分類與廚餘處理政策的推進，地溝油開始被納入正規回收體系。這些回收來的油脂在經過酯化與加氫等專業工藝處理後，可提煉出品質穩定的生物柴油，進一步加工則可製成可持續航空燃料，其碳排放比傳統航空煤油低約80%，成為航空業降低碳足跡的重要利器。

歐盟、美國與日本等碳中和推動積極的國家，對此類低碳燃料的需求迅速攀升。像荷蘭皇家航空、漢莎航空等公司紛紛尋求穩定供應來源，中國的地溝油因此成為香餑餑。地溝油的國際出口價格從2019年每公噸500美元暴漲至2024年的1200至1500美元，價格甚至超過一般柴油，部分時期甚至出現供不應求的情況。

全球之所以盯上中國的地溝油，首先是因為中國產量龐大。每年約產生500萬噸餐廚廢油，佔全球總量近三分之一，火鍋店與川菜館等高油類餐飲業更成為主要來源。此外，自2017年起中國規定各大中城市須建立餐廚垃圾處理系統，使廢油回收從地下產業轉變為有監管、有產值的合法產業鏈。相比之下，歐美國家普遍以大豆油或棕櫚油為原料製造生物燃料，不僅成本高，也容易引發毀林等環境爭議。因此，中國地溝油的「廢物利用」模式不僅價格低，更能貼合國際減碳與環保政策。

至於地溝油是否真能成為飛機燃料，答案是肯定的。面對2050年淨零碳排的壓力，全球航空業積極尋找替代能源，而地溝油衍生的SAF正是技術成熟、碳足跡低且供應穩定的理想選項。中國石化、浙江嘉澳等企業已掌握從地溝油提煉至航空燃料的完整技術流程，並已開始向歐洲批量出口。根據歐盟規定，自2025年起航空燃料中需有2%為SAF，2030年提升至6%，中國地溝油正好滿足這一快速增長的市場需求。

隨著全球碳稅政策的日益嚴格，地溝油的價值未來或將超越原油。目前中國每年出口約100萬噸地溝油，未來可望成倍成長，也將帶動整體廢油脂回收產業的升級。除了航空業外，地溝油還可應用於船運燃料、工業化工原料乃至高端潤滑油等領域，潛在市場前景廣闊。

總結來說，地溝油從「餐桌毒物」蛻變為「綠色能源」的過程，是中國在環境治理與能源轉型上的一項典型成功案例。它不僅消除食品安全隱患，還創造巨大的經濟與環境價值。未來，當你搭乘某趟國際航班，飛機所使用的燃料，也許就來自中國某家火鍋店的廢油；而那些昔日污穢不堪的廚餘回收桶，可能正在悄悄撐起中國成為「全球綠色能源供應國」的新希望。

In recent years, China’s infamous “gutter oil” has made a dramatic transformation—from a reviled health hazard on dining tables to a coveted commodity known as “green gold” on the global market. After undergoing advanced technological processing, this waste cooking oil is no longer a threat to food safety but instead has become a valuable resource in the global energy transition. It is now used to produce biodiesel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), sparking a buying frenzy in regions such as Europe, the United States, and Japan. This reversal—from “slop oil” to jet fuel—not only reflects progress in China’s environmental policies but also reveals new economic opportunities in the era of global decarbonization.

For years, China struggled with the issue of gutter oil being illegally reprocessed and returned to restaurants after only minimal filtration, posing serious health risks. However, stricter crackdowns on food safety violations, coupled with policies on waste sorting and kitchen waste management, have led to the integration of gutter oil into formal recycling systems. Once collected, the waste oils undergo professional treatment processes such as esterification and hydrogenation to yield stable-quality biodiesel. With further refinement, this can be converted into SAF, which emits around 80% less carbon than traditional jet fuel, making it a powerful tool in the aviation industry’s push to reduce its carbon footprint.

Countries aggressively pursuing carbon neutrality—such as those in the EU, the U.S., and Japan—have seen a rapid surge in demand for such low-carbon fuels. Airlines like KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Lufthansa are actively seeking stable sources of supply, turning Chinese gutter oil into a hot commodity. Its export price has skyrocketed from around $500 per metric ton in 2019 to $1,200–$1,500 in 2024—at times exceeding the price of regular diesel, and occasionally falling into short supply due to high demand.

One reason the world has its eyes on China’s gutter oil is sheer volume. China produces approximately five million tons of waste cooking oil annually, accounting for nearly one-third of the global total. High-oil-use establishments like hot pot restaurants and Sichuan eateries are major contributors. Since 2017, Chinese regulations have mandated that all major and mid-sized cities establish kitchen waste management systems, shifting gutter oil recovery from a shady underground operation into a regulated, economically viable industry chain. In contrast, Western nations primarily rely on soybean or palm oil to produce biofuels—materials that are costlier and more controversial due to their links with deforestation. Thus, China’s “waste-to-value” model not only reduces costs but aligns better with international carbon reduction and environmental protection policies.

As for whether gutter oil can truly become jet fuel—the answer is a definitive yes. Facing mounting pressure to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the global aviation industry is racing to adopt alternative energy sources. SAF derived from gutter oil is a mature technology with low carbon emissions and stable supply. Chinese companies such as Sinopec and Zhejiang Jiaao have already mastered the full technical process—from refining gutter oil to producing jet fuel—and have begun large-scale exports to Europe. According to EU regulations, airlines must include 2% SAF in their fuel mix by 2025, increasing to 6% by 2030, creating a rapidly expanding market that Chinese gutter oil is well-positioned to serve.

As global carbon tax policies tighten, the value of gutter oil may one day surpass that of crude oil. China currently exports around one million tons of gutter oil per year, with potential for exponential growth. This will also spur the broader development of the waste oil recycling industry. Beyond aviation, gutter oil-derived fuels can also be used in shipping, industrial chemicals, and even premium lubricants, indicating broad and promising market prospects.

In conclusion, the transformation of gutter oil from “poison on the plate” to “green energy” is a quintessential success story of China’s progress in environmental governance and energy transition. It has eliminated a major food safety concern while generating immense economic and environmental value. In the future, when you board an international flight, the jet fuel powering your plane may well have originated from the waste oil of a Chinese hot pot restaurant. And those once-disgusting kitchen waste barrels may quietly become the backbone of China’s emergence as a global green energy supplier.