Indonesia's Pertamina has supplied sustainable aviation fuel to Virgin Australia for the first time. (Photo: Pertamina)
Indonesia's aviation industry has recently made significant strides in the field of sustainability. The state-owned oil company Pertamina has supplied sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for the first time to foreign airlines.
Additionally, the Indonesian government has announced the launch of an aviation fuel transition plan, aiming to gradually phase out traditional fossil fuels starting in 2027.
Pertamina provides SAF to Virgin Australia
At the recent Bali International Airshow, Pertamina announced that it provided 160 kilograms of SAF to a Boeing 737 operated by Virgin Australia for flights departing from Ngurah Rai International Airport on August 18 and 19 as part of the airshow celebrations.
Maya Kusmaya, marketing director of Pertamina Patra Niaga, a subsidiary of Pertamina, stated that this fuel supply program signifies Indonesia's ability to adapt to the diverse energy demands of the international aviation industry. Sustainable aviation fuel is seen as a mid-term solution for reducing carbon emissions without requiring significant changes to aircraft design, airport infrastructure, or fuel supply chains.
Previously, Garuda Indonesia completed its first commercial flight using a blended biofuel last October, which utilized palm oil. In addition to palm oil, coconuts are also considered to have potential for development into sustainable aviation fuel.
The SAF provided was a blend of synthetic fuel derived from waste cooking oil and traditional fossil fuel, comprising 38.43% and 61.78% respectively. Officials stated that this product has been certified by the International Civil Aviation Organization as a qualified fuel and meets the standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and the European Union Renewable Energy Directive (RED-EU).
Garuda Indonesia and Pertamina are collaborating in the field of SAF. (Photo: Pertamina Patra Niaga)
Indonesia discusses SAF blueprint for decarbonizing aviation
On the same day, Pertamina signed a memorandum of cooperation with European aircraft manufacturing giant Airbus to expand the development of sustainable aviation fuel in Indonesia, exploring more business opportunities in areas such as raw material distribution, logistics needs, and commercial development, as well as accelerating the aviation industry's decarbonization goals.
The Indonesian government also announced during the airshow that it will promote an action plan for environmentally friendly aviation fuels. Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan stated that discussions would begin soon and immediate implementation would follow.
Prior to this, both the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources indicated plans to gradually implement sustainable aviation fuel starting in 2027, with the biofuel blending ratio expected to begin at 1% and gradually increase.
Source: Jakarta Globe(1), (2), Antara(1), (2), Pertamina
