InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – A new history has been made in the national aviation industry. PT Pertamina (Persero) officially conducted the first flight using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) derived from used cooking oil (UCO). The historic flight was operated by Pelita Air, a Pertamina subsidiary, on the Jakarta–Bali route from Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta Airport last Wednesday (20/8/2025).
Pertamina CEO, Simon Aloysius Mantiri, emphasized that SAF is proof of Pertamina's commitment to supporting the green energy transition and strengthening national energy independence. "Pertamina SAF marks the beginning of Pertamina's and Indonesia's future business development. With co-processing technology, we are capable of producing international standard fuel from used cooking oil," he stated.
Pertamina SAF is produced at the RU IV Cilacap Refinery and has obtained various global certifications, including the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC), the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) standard, and the European Union's Renewable Energy Directive (RED). These certifications ensure that the supply chain—from UCO collection and refinery production to distribution—meets international sustainability standards.
According to Simon, UCO-based SAF has significant potential for reducing carbon emissions. "This product can reduce emissions by up to 84 percent compared to fossil-based avtur. Going forward, the SAF ecosystem will continue to be developed at other refineries such as RU II Dumai and RU VI Balongan. Meanwhile, community involvement in collecting used cooking oil will be further expanded through Pertamina Patra Niaga," he added, as reported by InfoSAWIT from Kontan on Monday (25/8/2025).
Pertamina President Commissioner, Mochamad Iriawan, expressed his appreciation to all parties involved in realizing the first SAF flight. "Starting from the community who collects the used cooking oil, Pertamina Patra Niaga who distributes it, the refinery that processes it, to Pelita Air who now uses it. The hope is that SAF can soon be used not only by domestic airlines but also by international flights," Iriawan said.
The launch of the first SAF flight was attended by several high-ranking state officials and stakeholders, including the Presidential Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General (Ret.) A.M. Putranto, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Arif Havas Oegroseno, and officials from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Transportation. Their presence signaled government support for Pertamina's strategic role as a leader in the national energy transition.
Pertamina affirmed its commitment to continue advancing the sustainability agenda in line with the net zero emission 2060 target and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through SAF, the company is not only strengthening energy independence but also opening circular economy opportunities that involve communities from the local to the global level. (T2)
