SIA to buy up to 4,800 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel from Aether’s Singapore plant

[SINGAPORE] Singapore Airlines (SIA) has inked a deal to purchase up to 4,800 tonnes of next-generation sustainable aviation fuel over three years from Aether Fuels’ Singapore plant, with deliveries starting in 2028.

The airline is the first to buy sustainable aviation fuel from Project Beacon, which Aether is developing at Aster’s refining complex at Pulau Bukom, the companies said in a joint statement on Wednesday (Oct 28).

The binding agreement was signed on Oct 23.

Under Project Beacon, feedstocks such as biomethane and industrial waste gases will be used to produce sustainable aviation fuel.

The agreement also marks SIA’s first purchase of sustainable aviation fuel using new technology that converts waste carbon feedstocks into aviation fuel.

This offers an alternative to the hydro-processed esters and fatty acids pathway, which relies on more constrained lipid-based feedstocks, noted the statement.

The agreement builds on the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between SIA and Aether last year.

Since signing the MOU, Aether has established its first commercial facility in Singapore, while also building partnerships across the local value chain.

“Singapore is building a strong ecosystem for aviation decarbonisation through refining and aviation infrastructure, investment support, sustainability policies, and utilising their position as a global aviation hub,” said Conor Madigan, co-founder and CEO of Aether.

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Lee Wen Fen, chief sustainability officer at SIA, said that supporting the development and adoption of sustainable aviation fuel, as well as securing future supplies, is integral to SIA’s ambition of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“We will continue to work with partners globally to scale sustainable aviation fuel production, strengthen the aviation industry’s sustainability ecosystem, and support the transition to more sustainable air travel,” she added.