Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — In a push for greener energy, PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional (KPI) is testing the production of sustainable aviation fuel (Bioavtur) made from used cooking oil (UCO).
KPI President Director Taufik Aditiyawarman said the trial aims to find alternatives to reduce reliance on fossil fuels while also adding economic value to used cooking oil, which remains largely untapped in Indonesia.
The trial production is taking place at Pertamina’s Cilacap refinery in Central Java. If successful, KPI plans to expand Bioavtur production to other refineries.
“If the trial in Cilacap is successful in March or April, we will move to full-scale production. At the very least, we can supply bioavtur for international flights that already adhere to green energy standards,” Taufik said on Monday (March 17, 2025), as reported by Teropongmedia.
Once production is successfully completed, the Bioavtur will undergo static and dynamic testing to ensure its quality and performance. Pelita Air, a subsidiary of PT Pertamina (Persero), will be the first airline to conduct test flights using bioavtur derived from used cooking oil.
Indonesia’s Potential as a Bioavtur Supplier
With the productions of bioavtur from used cooking oil, KPI aims to meet the demand for international flights that have already adopted green fuel standards.
“At the very least, we can supply bioavtur for international flights that adhere to green energy standards,” said KPI President Director Taufik Aditiyawarman.
Several neighboring countries, including Malaysia and Singapore, have introduced regulations requiring airlines to use at least 1% bioavtur in their fuel mix.
Although Indonesia has yet to enforce a similar policy, its strong production potential could position the country as a leading bioavtur supplier in Southeast Asia.
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KPI estimates that its Cilacap refinery could produce up to 9,000 barrels of bioavtur per day. Using a co-processing method, the bioavtur productions require approximately 270 barrels of used cooking oil per day, or 3% of the total feedstock .
However, Taufik mentioned that the feedstock availability remains a key challenge. A significant portion of Indonesia’s used cooking oil is exported to Singapore, where it fetches higher prices.
Push for Domestic Market Obligation (DMO)
To secure domestic used cooking oil supply, KPI is advocating for a Domestic Market Obligation (DMO) policy to prioritize local bioavtur production over exports.
“We need to change this trend so that not all used cooking oil is exported. If we retain more feedstock domestically, we can accelerate bioavtur and biofuel production,” Taufik added.
Besides used cooking oil, another key bioavtur feedstock, Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) is also heavily exported. Taufik stressed, Indonesia needs balanced policies to ensure feedstock availability for both domestic bioavtur production and international markets.
(Raidi/Agung)
