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Garuda conducts first commercial flight using Pertamina SAF
Pertamina and Garuda Indonesia conducted the inaugural commercial flight using Pertamina’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), also known as bioavtur. The flight departed on Oct. 27 from Terminal 3 of the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang to Adi Soemarmo International Airport in Surakarta.
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ertamina and Garuda Indonesia conducted the inaugural commercial flight using Pertamina’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), also known as bioavtur. The flight departed on Oct. 27 from Terminal 3 of the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang to Adi Soemarmo International Airport in Surakarta. The flight marked Indonesian state-owned enterprises’ (SOEs) contribution to emission reduction and a step toward Indonesia’s Net Zero Emission (NZE) target.
Pertamina Logistics and Infrastructure Director Alfian Nasution added that the company is committed to supporting the achievement of the Indonesian government's NZE target by developing decarbonization assets and a green business development roadmap, which includes the introduction of SAF into the aviation industry.
"This special flight will be a historic milestone in the sustainable aviation industry. The public will also have new experiences from the use of renewable energy and directly contribute to emission reduction," Alfian explained.
The development of Pertamina’s SAF was initiated in 2010 through Pertamina Research & Technology Innovation’s product development research. In 2021, PT Pertamina International Refinery successfully produced the SAF J2.4 in Refinery Unit IV Cilacap with coprocessing technology using Refined Bleached Deodorized Palm Kernel Oil (RBDPKO) as the raw material. The production capacity for SAF at the refinery reached 1,350 kiloliters (kl) per day.
The SAF product then underwent a series of tests on engines and aircraft units in collaboration with relevant stakeholders. The testing included cell tests at a Garuda Maintenance Facility (GMF) site, ground runs and flight tests with PT Dirgantara Indonesia’s CN-235 military aircraft, as well as commercial flight tests on Garuda Indonesia's Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircraft on Oct. 4, 2023. The SAF J2.4 product will be marketed and distributed through Pertamina Patra Niaga, a subholding company of Pertamina.
The results of the conducted tests have shown that SAF J2.4's performance is of the same quality as conventional aviation fuel. This demonstrates Pertamina's commitment to providing environmentally friendly aviation fuel without compromising commercial quality.
"We appreciate the stakeholders who have contributed to the SAF’s product testing, including the EBTKE [New and Renewable Energy and Conservation] Directorate-General, the research team from ITB [The Bandung Institute of Technology] as the coordinators, BPDPKS [Oil Palm Plantation Support Fund Management Agency] as the activity’s sponsor, PT Garuda Indonesia as the aircraft provider and every stakeholder involved in all stages of testing. Today's ‘joy flight’ is one of the most important milestones in the future implementation of SAF in Indonesia. Therefore, hopefully all [SAF testing] activities proceed smoothly and provide benefits to all parties, as well as serve as concrete evidence of our [Pertamina’s] commitment to achieving [Indonesia’s] NZE by 2060 or sooner," Alfian said.
Garuda Indonesia President Director Irfan Setiaputra spoke regarding Garuda’s first commercial flight with several passengers that used SAF J2.4 from Soekarno-Hatta to Adi Soemarmo. "We [Garuda] successfully used biofuel for a commercial flight. That was part of our commitment, and we hope Garuda Indonesia will be perceived as a company that prioritizes sustainability as well as the future of our descendants," Irfan explained during his address at the ceremonial flight event.
Nugie, one of the passengers, expressed his hopes for the future of aviation following the adoption of SAF. "Hopefully, flights can become more efficient and add more value by using SAF compared to previous fuel products," he said.
The development of SAF is part of Pertamina's efforts for energy transition and for achieving Indonesia’s NZE target by 2060. SAF J2.4 is an environmentally friendly fuel that uses a bioavtur formula with palm oil components, which reduces emissions from airplane exhaust gasses. Additionally, the use of palm oil as a component of SAF J2.4 can stimulate the development of Indonesia’s economy and its domestic industries.
As a leading company in the energy transition, Pertamina is committed to supporting Indonesia’s goal of NZE by 2060 by continually promoting programs that directly impact the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). All these efforts are in line with the implementation of environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles across all of Pertamina's business lines and operations.
