Pelita Air has marked a significant milestone in Indonesian commercial aviation by operating a flight from Soekarno-Hatta Airport to Denpasar using a blend of conventional jet fuel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) derived from cooking oil. The flight took place on Wednesday, August 20, with SAF produced by Pertamina.
Simon Aloysius Mantiri, President Director of Pertamina, explained that this eco-friendly fuel is created through co-processing used cooking oil (UCO) at the company’s RU IV Cilacap refinery. “Pertamina SAF meets international standards ASTM D1655 and DefStan 91-091 and has received full certification for commercial aviation use,” he said.
For this inaugural flight, Pelita Air used a mixture containing 2.5% used cooking oil blended with traditional jet fuel. Additionally, Pertamina SAF has secured the Proof of Sustainability certification from ISCC CORSIA, confirming its supply chain complies with global sustainability requirements.
The production of this SAF is made possible by Merah Putih Catalyst technology, a homegrown innovation developed in Indonesia. With this achievement, Pertamina becomes the first SAF producer in both Indonesia and Southeast Asia to earn official certification.
“This accomplishment demonstrates that Indonesia is not only capable of advancing biodiesel technology but is also ready to emerge as a key player in the international biofuel market,” Simon noted.
Echoing this optimism, Dadan Kusdiana, Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, highlighted that biofuel development is a top priority in the government’s energy downstream strategy. “Indonesia is already recognized as the world’s leader in biodiesel production. Given the abundance of used cooking oil available as raw material, we have a strong opportunity to position ourselves as a global supplier of SAF,” he said.
Odo RM Manuhutu, Deputy for Connectivity Coordination at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development, also voiced his support. He urged Indonesia to spearhead the creation of an ASEAN-wide cooperation framework for SAF, with Pertamina taking a leading role.
“If production scales up, Indonesia could set the regional price for SAF. This is crucial to ensure that we are not merely consumers but leaders within ASEAN,” he stated.
