Pertamina Launches Avtur With Palm Oil Mixture

Garuda Indonesia (Photo: Doc. Garuda Indonesia)

JAKARTA - PT Pertamina (Persero) and Garuda Indonesia today carried out their first commercial flight using environmentally friendly fuels, Pertamina Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) or Bioavtur.

Pertamina's Director of Logistics and Infrastructure Alfian Nasution said Pertamina is committed to supporting the achievement of the NZE target of the Government of Indonesia by developing a roadmap for decarbonization assets and building green business, including SAF for the aviation sector.

This special flight will be a milestone in the sustainable aviation industry. The public will also experience new experiences, experience the use of renewable energy and contribute directly to reducing emissions," explained Alfian in a statement to the media, Friday, October 27.

He explained that Pertamina SAF's journey had been initiated since 2010 through Pertamina's Research & Technology Innovation, by conducting product development research and catalysts.

In 2021, PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional managed to produce SAF J2.4 at Refinery Unit IV Cilacap with Co-Processing technology from Refined Bleached Deodorized Palm Kernel Oil (RBDPKO) raw materials, or palm kernel oil that has undergone a process of processing recitation, removing free and odor fatty acids, with a capacity of 1,350 kilo liters (KL) per day. Through collaboration with related stakeholders, he said, the SAF product then went through a series of trials on aircraft engines and units.

The series of tests started from cell tests at facilities owned by Garuda Maintenance Facility (GMF), ground runs, flight tests on PT Dirgantara Indonesia's CN-235 military aircraft, to a commercial aircraft test belonging to Garuda Indonesia on October 4, 2023 on a Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft belonging to PT Garuda Indonesia. Pertamina Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) products will later be marketed and distributed through the subholding of PT Pertamina Patra Niaga.

The results of a series of tests that have been carried out, show that SAF J2.4 performance has the same quality as conventional avtur. This is an answer to Pertamina's commitment to providing environmentally friendly flight fuel, and has been used for commercial flights today.

President Director of Garuda Indonesia, Irfan Setiaputra, revealed that today his party carried out the first commercial flight with several passengers from Soekarno Hatta to Adi Soemarmo.

"We have successfully used biofuels for commercial flights. This is a form of our seriousness, so of course we hope that Garuda Indonesia will be perceived as a company that puts forward the sustainability and future of our children and grandchildren," explained Irfan in his remarks at the Ceremonial Flight event.

The development of SAF is one of Pertamina's efforts in the energy transition, as well as achieving the Net Zero Emission (NZE) 2060 target. Pertamina SAF is an environmentally friendly fuel, which uses a mixture of palm oil components in the Bioavtur formula so that it can reduce aircraft exhaust emissions.

In addition, this aspect of utilizing palm oil components can encourage industrial and economic development in the country.