Indonesia completed its inaugural commercial flight using palm oil-blended jet fuel. The Garuda Indonesia Boeing 737-800NG travelled from Jakarta to Surakarta, covering a distance of roughly 550 km (342 mi).
Garuda conducted several tests this year, including a flight test and an engine ground test, ahead of the new fuel’s use. Produced by state energy firm PT Pertamina at its Cilacap refinery, the palm-oil blended jet fuel uses hydroprocessed esters and fatty acid (HEFA) technology and refined bleached deodorized palm kernel oil.
According to Pertamina, this fuel emits fewer greenhouse gases than fossil fuels, and key palm oil-producing countries have called for palm oil to be included in feedstock for the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Experts predict that the industry will require 450 billion litres of SAF by 2050 to account for 65% of the mitigation required to achieve net-zero targets. However, some nations have reservations due to the potential for deforestation stemming from palm oil production, leading the European Union to restrict imports of the commodity.
Although Indonesia has mandated 3% biofuel blending for jet fuels by 2020, the implementation has been postponed. Earlier in 2021, Dirgantara Indonesia, a state-owned manufacturer, successfully tested the same fuel on a flight from Bandung in West Java to Jakarta.
