Bangkok, Thailand: SET-listed energy conglomerate Bangchak Corporation, which has expanded its operations into the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) sector, anticipates that biofuel for aircraft, also known as SAF, will gain popularity within the industry when the product launches next year, reported Bangkok Post.
Rising environmental concerns over the impact of traditional jet fuel have led many companies to express a keen interest in purchasing SAF. Chaiwat Kovavisarach, the Group Chief Executive of Bangchak, stated that we received a very warm welcome from prospective SAF buyers.
Bangchak is currently in the process of constructing a 10-billion-baht SAF production facility next to its oil refinery in Bangkok’s Phra Khanong district, marking the first of its kind in Thailand. The plant’s completion is expected by the end of 2024, and commercial operations are scheduled to begin between late 2024 and early 2025.
According to the Bangkok Post, Chaiwat stated that some companies expressed their intent to purchase SAF. Although these companies remain unnamed, purchase agreements are anticipated to be finalized by December of this year.
To meet the anticipated surge in demand, Bangchak is considering a feasibility study for expanding the SAF production capacity.
SAF, a biofuel that shares similar properties with traditional jet fuel but leaves a smaller carbon footprint, can be derived from sources such as used cooking oil and agricultural waste.
Incorporating SAF into the Thai aviation industry could lead to an annual reduction of 80,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, as highlighted by Chaiwat.
