The growing importance of bioenergy in the aviation sector came into focus at the Asia Sustainable Aviation Fuel Association’s Innovation & Policy Summit in Da Nang, where U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC) highlighted ethanol’s potential as an alternative aviation fuel for Vietnam and the wider Southeast Asian region.
The USGBC delegation was led by Chris Markey, Deputy Regional Director for Southeast Asia and Oceania, along with Regional Ethanol Consultant Kent Yeo and Vietnam Representative Tran Trong Nghia, Ethanol Producer Magazine reported.
The summit brought together representatives from more than 70 organizations, including regulators and policymakers from Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Construction and Ministry of Science and Technology. Industry participants included fuel blenders, traders and regional energy companies involved in the ethanol sector.
During the event, the USGBC team presented the advantages of using ethanol in the alcohol-to-jet sustainable aviation fuel production pathway. Discussions focused on global and regional developments, feedstock availability and the opportunities for Vietnam to expand the use of ethanol beyond gasoline blending into aviation and marine fuels.
Vietnam’s aviation sector has expanded rapidly over the past decade, with passenger traffic rising by more than 120 percent between 2014 and 2024. With the country targeting net-zero emissions by 2050 and mandatory compliance with the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) from January 2027, sustainable aviation fuel is expected to play an important role in the country’s future transport fuel strategy.
Industry experts at the summit noted that Vietnam has strong potential to build a competitive SAF industry because of its feedstock availability and growing domestic and regional fuel demand.
Vietnam is also preparing to expand ethanol blending in transport fuels. Alongside the existing E5 RON92 gasoline mandate introduced in 2018, the country plans to implement an E10 mandate for RON95 gasoline. Once implemented, all gasoline grades sold in Vietnam will contain ethanol, with annual fuel ethanol demand expected to reach nearly 240 million gallons.
Markey said Southeast Asia remains a priority market for the Council because of its rapidly growing economies and increasing air travel demand, making the region an important opportunity for expanding the use of U.S. ethanol in sustainable aviation fuel production.
