The Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore sourcing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Aether Fuels, a climate technology company planning SAF production facilities in the US and Southeast Asia.
The MoU outlines SIA Group’s plans to purchase neat SAF, a cleaner alternative to traditional jet fuel, for an initial period of five years with the possibility of a five-year extension.
This fuel will be used in a blend with conventional jet fuel and supplied to selected airports frequented by Singapore Airlines and its low-cost carrier, Scoot.
Aether Fuels will utilise its “proprietary” Aether Aurora technology and waste carbon feedstock to produce SAF.
This method is expected to lower production costs, enhance production “efficiency’, and yield more SAF compared to current production techniques, according to the company.
Singapore Airlines chief sustainability officer Lee Wen Fen said: “This partnership marks another step in the SIA Group’s journey towards our long-term decarbonisation goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
“By collaborating with like-minded ecosystem partners such as Aether, we aim to accelerate and scale up the adoption of SAF in our flight operations, laying the groundwork for more sustainable air travel.”
Aether Fuels, which was incubated and funded by deep tech venture company Xora in 2022, has since expanded its team in South East Asia and established a research and development hub in Chicago.
The company's forthcoming SAF production facilities in the US and South East Asia are set to produce CORSIA-certified fuel, aligning with international aviation emission reduction standards.
The planned SAF projects by Aether Fuels aim to achieve a minimum of 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the aviation industry's sustainability targets.
Aether Fuels CEO Conor Madigan said: “We are proud to join the SIA Group’s ecosystem of SAF technology innovators.
“Their decarbonisation goals are catalysing ingenuity throughout the supply chain and galvanising companies like Aether to develop production solutions that pair breakthrough technologies with next-generation feedstock strategies.”
In February 2024, Singapore announced that the mandate for SAF will take effect in 2026 for all departing flights under a new sustainability blueprint.
Announced by Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat at the Changi Aviation Summit, the plan aims to cut domestic aviation emissions by 20% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
