Indonesia, the world’s largest producer of palm oil, is considering a plan that would require international flights departing from Jakarta and Bali to use a 1% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blend starting in 2026, according to an announcement from Edi Wibowo, an official at Indonesia’s Energy Ministry.
The country’s state-owned energy company, Pertamina, has already begun producing SAF derived partly from used cooking oil (UCO) at one of its refinery units. Additionally, the company is planning to convert two more refineries to process UCO into aviation fuel.
Edi Wibowo explained that the regulation for implementing SAF is currently being drafted. The proposal suggests that 2026 will mark the beginning of gradual SAF adoption, starting with a 1% SAF blend. Under the proposed timeline, the SAF blend will increase to 5% by 2035.
Indonesia has significant potential to produce 3-4 million kilolitres of used cooking oil annually, based on estimates from the Indonesia Palm Oil Strategic Studies think tank. This volume of UCO could help fuel the country’s ambitions to transition toward more sustainable aviation practices.
The planned move aligns with Indonesia’s broader environmental goals and reflects the growing global emphasis on reducing emissions from the aviation industry through sustainable fuel alternatives.
