On July 7, 2022, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), Singapore Airlines (SIA), and Temasek’s investment platform GenZero delivered blended Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to Changi Airport via the airport’s fuel hydrant system.
This is the first time blended SAF is uplifted onto SIA and Scoot departing flights at Changi Airport. Under this pilot, 1,000 tonnes of neat SAF will be supplied by Neste and blended with refined jet fuel at ExxonMobil’s facilities in Singapore. This is expected to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 2,500 tonnes.
Han Kok Juan, director-general, CAAS, said: “This first successful uplift of blended SAF is an important milestone in Singapore’s journey towards sustainable aviation. It shows that the Singapore Changi Airport is SAF-ready. It also provides useful operational learning points on the adoption of SAF which the CAAS is studying as part of our work on a Sustainable Air Hub Blueprint. We target to publish the Blueprint early next year.”
Announced in November 2021, the Singapore pilot aims to advance the use of SAF in Singapore. It is a follow-up to a study conducted by the Singapore Government and industry players on the operational and commercial viability of using SAF at Changi Airport.
Singapore Airlines’ senior vice president corporate planning, Lee Wen Fen, added that the move “demonstrates our commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050”.
Incorporating the blending of neat SAF in local facilities, certification of blended SAF, and delivery to Changi Airport to operationally validate SAF integration options in Singapore, the project will also provide insights on end-to-end cost components, potential pricing structures for cost recovery and support future policy considerations for SAF deployment.
In June this year, CAAS, SIA and Temasek also announced the sale of 1,000 SAF credits from July as part of this pilot. This provides customers, as well as freight forwarders, an avenue to reduce their carbon footprint, stimulate demand for SAF, support the development of the nascent SAF industry, and advance the adoption of SAF for aviation sustainability.
From 4Q2022, SIA customers will be able to purchase a mix of SAF credits and carbon offsets, as part of the SIA Group Voluntary Carbon Offset Programme. SIA will also partner Climate Impact X (CIX), a global exchange for quality carbon credits, to introduce a bundled portfolio consisting of SAF credits and carbon credits. The product will be designed to meet corporate demand for SAF while balancing affordability.
In the next phase of the pilot, Neste will start SAF production in Singapore in 1Q2023 with one million tonnes of production capacity per annum.
