Indonesia, the world’s largest producer of palm oil, has conducted its first commercial flight using palm oil-blended jet fuel, a move aimed at reducing fuel imports and promoting biofuels. The flight, operated by Garuda Indonesia, carried over 100 passengers from Jakarta to Surakarta, a distance of approximately 550 kilometers.
Garuda Indonesia’s CEO, Irfan Setiaputra, emphasized the airline’s commitment to further explore the commercial viability of palm oil-blended jet fuel, with discussions involving Pertamina (the Indonesian state energy firm), the Energy Ministry, and other stakeholders.
The palm oil-blended jet fuel used in this flight is produced by Pertamina at its Cilacap refinery, employing hydroprocessed esters and fatty acid (HEFA) technology. The fuel is derived from refined, bleached, and deodorized palm kernel oil.
Pertamina has asserted that this palm-based fuel emits fewer greenhouse gases, making it a more environmentally friendly option compared to traditional fossil fuels. Moreover, countries that produce palm oil have advocated for the inclusion of this edible oil as feedstock for the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Pertamina’s director, Alfian Nasution, highlighted that in 2021, the company successfully produced 2.0 SAF at its Cilacap unit using co-processing technology, with a production capacity of 1,350 kiloliters per day.
Harris Yahya, a director at the Energy Ministry, emphasized that the use of biofuels like palm oil-blended jet fuel could help reduce the greenhouse effect and contribute to environmental sustainability.
The aviation industry, which is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, has been actively exploring alternative fuels to mitigate its carbon footprint. To meet net-zero targets and reduce carbon emissions, experts estimate that the aviation sector will need to produce around 450 billion liters of SAF per year by 2050, accounting for roughly 65% of the necessary mitigation efforts.
