Singapore puts forward palm oil as feedstock for  sustainable aviation fuel 

Palm by-products as a SAF feedstock are recognised under ICAO’s CORSIA regime.

Acting Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat believes palm oil should be considered a feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production.

In his speech at the High-Level Dialogue on Sustainable Transport in ASEAN, Chee underscored that feedstock that is available in the Asia-Pacific region, such as palm by-products and residues are recognised under the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) regime. 

Chee said Singapore is already working with Boeing and the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) and other regional stakeholders “to study how ASEAN can leverage on potential feedstock in the region for SAF production.

“This, in my view, should include palm oil. We should take a pragmatic approach based on science and evidence, instead of an ideological approach based on preconceived bias and dogma,” Chee said, adding that the use of palm oil is not widely accepted in other parts of the world due to its piercing environmental risks.

Meanwhile, Chee said ASEAN member states are also developing a Sustainable Aviation Action Plan under its Air Transport Working Group. 

“The Action Plan aims to drive sustainable aviation growth in ASEAN, starting from the area of SAF,” Chee said.

“We are happy to share that the Action Plan has been endorsed at the 55th ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting in June. We look forward to working with ASEAN Member States in furthering the sustainability agenda,” Chee added.

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