Indonesia's national oil and gas company, Pertamina, has made a significant leap in sustainable energy by delivering its first batch of aviation fuel made partly from used cooking oil.
In a first for Indonesia's energy transition, the state-owned energy giant Pertamina has successfully produced and delivered its first shipment of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), with a key component being used cooking oil. The initiative, spearheaded by Pertamina’s refinery unit, PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional, paves the way for a more environmentally friendly aviation sector and highlights the nation’s strategic use of domestic resources to meet global climate goals.
The inaugural batch of SAF, produced at Pertamina's Cilacap refinery, is a co-processed fuel blend containing 2-3% used cooking oil. This initial shipment of approximately 32 kilolitres is destined for a pioneering flight from Jakarta to Denpasar, Bali, scheduled to take place later this month. The flight will be operated by Pelita Air, an airline subsidiary of Pertamina, serving as a symbolic and practical demonstration of the fuel's viability. The company has ambitious plans to deliver a total of 1.7 million litres of the new fuel to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta to support the upcoming trial.
The production of SAF from used cooking oil is a major step forward for Pertamina and Indonesia's broader energy strategy. The Cilacap refinery has an SAF production capacity of around 1,400 kilolitres per day, and its ability to repurpose a common waste product into a valuable, low-carbon fuel promotes a circular economy.
Globally, the aviation industry is under increasing pressure to decarbonise, with sustainable aviation fuels emerging as one of the most promising solutions. SAF can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel, and it can be used in existing aircraft engines and airport infrastructure without requiring significant modifications. Pertamina's project leverages the Hydrotreated Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) pathway, a commercially dominant technology for SAF production. This development places Indonesia among a growing number of countries, including those in the EU, the UK, and Singapore, that are actively pursuing SAF mandates and production. In fact, Indonesia has already set a target for international flights departing the country to use 1% SAF by 2027, with that figure rising to 2.5% by 2030 and a significant 50% by 2060.
