Indonesia has taken a step toward decarbonizing aviation as Pertamina’s refining arm, PT Kilang Pertamina Internacional, begins delivering sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) made from used cooking oil, Reuters reported.
The first batch will fuel a Pelita Air flight from Jakarta to Denpasar later this month. So far, around 32 kilolitres have been produced at the Cilacap refinery for the trip. Further, Pertamina plans to send about 1.7 million litres of the fuel to Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta as part of the initial rollout.
Cilacap is the centre of Pertamina’s SAF programme. The refinery is certified under international schemes to produce the fuel. It can process used cooking oil through hydroprocessing. The plant is designed to handle up to 6,000 barrels per day of used cooking oil for green fuels, including SAF and hydrotreated vegetable oil. In this first stage, used cooking oil makes up around 2-3% of the SAF blend. Daily production is currently 1,200-1,400 kilolitres.
Pertamina’s first delivery is small in volume but important for market development. The trial flight on the busy Bali route will test operations, build experience, and support certification. The key next steps will be to secure a steady feedstock supply, expand production at Cilacap, and integrate SAF into regular airline schedules.
Indonesia’s government has also promoted biofuels in other transport sectors. A B40 biodiesel mandate is already in place. Officials are preparing to raise this to B50 in 2026, depending on the results of technical testing. This biofuel push supports the supply chain for SAF by developing processing capacity and logistics.
Feedstock supply is a critical factor. In January 2025, authorities restricted exports of used cooking oil and palm residues. The aim is to prioritise domestic demand for biodiesel and SAF. This policy should help secure inputs for the Cilacap project but also limits opportunities for export sales.
SAF made from waste oils offers significant lifecycle emissions cuts compared with fossil jet fuel. It can be blended directly with existing aviation fuel and used in current aircraft. However, experts say waste and residue feedstocks alone will not meet long-term demand. Indonesia’s roadmap starts with used cooking oil but plans to add new feedstocks and technologies over time.
