Singapore Airlines to Purchase Next-Generation Sustainable Aviation Fuel from Aether Fuels
Singapore Airlines (SIA) has signed an agreement with Aether Beacon Pte Ltd. (Aether Fuels) to purchase up to 4,800 tonnes of next-generation sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) over a three-year period, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2028. The agreement represents a significant step in the airline’s efforts to reduce aviation-related carbon emissions and support the development of alternative aviation fuel technologies in Singapore.
Under the agreement, SIA will become the first airline to purchase SAF produced at Project Beacon, Aether’s commercial production facility being developed at Aster’s refining complex on Pulau Bukom, Singapore. The facility is designed to convert waste-derived carbon feedstocks into sustainable aviation fuel using Aether’s proprietary Aurora technology.The partnership highlights growing industry interest in diversifying SAF production methods and establishing new sources of lower-carbon aviation fuel. It also supports Singapore’s broader ambitions to strengthen its aviation sustainability ecosystem and develop domestic capabilities for producing next-generation fuels.
Singapore Airlines Expands Its Sustainable Aviation Fuel Strategy
Sustainable aviation fuel is an important component of the aviation industry’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. Airlines, fuel producers, airports and governments are increasingly exploring ways to expand SAF availability and develop commercially viable production pathways that can support aviation’s long-term environmental objectives.
For Singapore Airlines, the agreement with Aether represents another step toward securing future supplies of sustainable aviation fuel. The airline has set a target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and views the development and adoption of SAF as an important element of its sustainability strategy.By committing to purchase fuel from Project Beacon, SIA is helping establish demand for an emerging production pathway that uses waste-derived carbon instead of relying exclusively on conventional fuel production methods or limited feedstock sources.
The agreement covers up to 4,800 tonnes of SAF over three years, with deliveries expected to commence in 2028. The arrangement provides a commercial foundation for the initial supply of fuel from Project Beacon while demonstrating airline interest in technologies that could contribute to the future expansion of sustainable aviation fuel production.SIA’s participation also demonstrates how airlines can work directly with emerging fuel producers to support the development of new technologies. Long-term commercial agreements can provide producers with greater visibility into potential demand, helping them plan production and evaluate opportunities to expand capacity.
Project Beacon to Produce Fuel from Waste Carbon Feedstocks
Project Beacon is Aether’s planned commercial SAF production facility in Singapore. Located at Aster’s refining complex on Pulau Bukom, the project will use waste carbon feedstocks, including biomethane and industrial waste gases, to produce aviation fuel.The use of these materials provides an alternative to production pathways that depend on lipid-based feedstocks, such as used cooking oil and other fats and oils. These resources can face supply constraints as demand for sustainable fuels increases across aviation, road transport, shipping and other industries.By developing technologies that can use waste-derived gases, Aether aims to broaden the range of feedstocks available for producing sustainable aviation fuel. This approach could help diversify future SAF supply chains and reduce dependence on a limited number of raw materials.
Project Beacon is intended to demonstrate the commercial application of Aether’s production process and establish a foundation for future expansion. The facility is being developed within Singapore’s existing refining and industrial infrastructure, which can provide a strategic setting for producing and supplying aviation fuels.The partnership with SIA gives the project an important prospective customer as it moves toward production and scheduled deliveries in 2028. The agreement also signals interest from a major international airline in SAF produced through an alternative technological pathway.
Aether Aurora Technology Offers an Alternative Production Pathway
Aether will use its proprietary Aether Aurora technology to convert waste-derived carbon feedstocks into liquid aviation fuel. The process innovates around the Fischer-Tropsch pathway, which can convert suitable gas mixtures into liquid hydrocarbons.The technology is designed to use carbon-containing gases, including those derived from biomethane and industrial waste streams, as inputs for fuel production. This approach differs from the hydro-processed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) pathway, which relies on lipid-based feedstocks.
HEFA has become an established route for producing SAF, but the availability of suitable fats, oils and related feedstocks can limit how quickly production expands. Alternative technologies that can use different resources may help address some of these constraints and contribute to a more diversified sustainable fuel market.Aether’s approach seeks to turn waste-derived carbon into a product suitable for aviation, potentially creating additional opportunities to use industrial and biological waste streams as fuel inputs.
However, the environmental benefits of any SAF pathway depend on factors such as the origin of its feedstocks, the energy used during production, the manufacturing process and the resulting lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. The sustainability credentials of the fuel therefore depend on the applicable certification and emissions accounting requirements, rather than simply on the use of waste-derived materials.The SAF produced through Project Beacon is expected to be certified under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). Developed under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), CORSIA provides a framework for addressing international aviation emissions and includes sustainability criteria for eligible aviation fuels.Certification will be important in establishing whether the fuel meets the relevant requirements for use within the scheme.
Plans for Larger-Scale Commercial Production
Beyond Project Beacon, Aether intends to expand its next-generation SAF production capacity. The company plans to start up its first large-scale commercial plant by 2031, with a production capacity at least ten times greater than that of Project Beacon.The proposed expansion reflects Aether’s ambition to move from its initial commercial facility toward larger-scale production. Increasing capacity will be important if the company is to supply greater quantities of fuel and contribute more substantially to the aviation industry’s long-term demand for SAF.The planned development also illustrates a broader challenge facing sustainable aviation fuel producers: moving from technology development and initial commercial operations to large-scale manufacturing that can supply airlines consistently.
Commercial expansion requires investment, reliable feedstock supplies, appropriate infrastructure, regulatory compliance and sufficient demand from fuel buyers. Partnerships with airlines can help demonstrate market interest, although the successful delivery of future production capacity will depend on project execution and other commercial and technical factors.For Singapore, the development of additional SAF production capabilities could complement its existing refining, aviation and logistics infrastructure. Its position as a major international aviation hub also creates opportunities for collaboration between fuel producers, airlines, infrastructure providers and policymakers.
Singapore Airlines Highlights the Importance of Industry Collaboration
Ms Lee Wen Fen, Chief Sustainability Officer of Singapore Airlines, said securing future SAF supplies and supporting the development and adoption of the fuel are integral to the airline’s ambition to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.She explained that SIA’s position as the first airline to purchase SAF from Project Beacon demonstrates demand for new lower-carbon fuel production pathways in Singapore.Lee added that the airline would continue working with partners around the world to expand SAF production, strengthen the aviation industry’s sustainability ecosystem and support the transition toward more sustainable air travel.
Her comments underline the importance of collaboration between airlines and fuel producers. Airlines need access to dependable supplies of qualifying SAF, while producers need customers and commercial agreements to support investment in new production facilities.The agreement with Aether brings these priorities together by connecting a major airline’s future fuel requirements with a new production project based on waste-derived carbon feedstocks.Such partnerships may also encourage further investment in alternative SAF technologies and help establish commercial demand for fuels produced through pathways beyond conventional lipid-based methods.
Aether Fuels Sees Singapore as a Strategic Location
Mr Conor Madigan, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aether Fuels, said the company had made significant progress since signing a memorandum of understanding with Singapore Airlines the previous year.At the time of the memorandum, Project Beacon had not yet been announced. Since then, Aether has selected Singapore as the location for its first commercial facility and established partnerships across the local value chain.
Madigan highlighted Singapore’s refining and aviation infrastructure, investment support, sustainability policies and position as a global aviation hub as important factors in developing its SAF operations.He described the binding agreement with SIA as an important milestone and a strong indication of committed demand from a leading global airline. According to Madigan, cooperation between fuel producers and airlines is essential to creating the commercial conditions needed to expand new SAF production pathways.The company’s strategy combines the development of its proprietary technology with the establishment of production infrastructure and commercial relationships. The planned expansion beyond Project Beacon will depend on translating these initial steps into reliable, larger-scale fuel production.
Supporting the Future of Lower-Carbon Aviation
The agreement between Singapore Airlines and Aether Fuels reflects the aviation industry’s continuing efforts to develop alternatives that can help reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. SAF can be used as a substitute for conventional jet fuel when it meets the relevant technical and certification requirements, although its environmental benefits vary according to the production pathway and feedstocks used.
Expanding SAF availability remains a key challenge for airlines seeking to reduce emissions while maintaining their existing operations. New production technologies may help broaden feedstock options, but their long-term contribution will depend on production costs, reliable supplies, infrastructure, certification and the ability to scale commercially.Project Beacon represents Aether’s initial commercial step in using waste-derived carbon feedstocks to produce aviation fuel in Singapore. The planned start of deliveries in 2028 and the proposed larger-scale facility by 2031 establish milestones for the company’s development strategy.
For Singapore Airlines, the purchase agreement provides an opportunity to support an emerging SAF pathway while advancing its longer-term sustainability objectives. For Aether, it establishes a commercial relationship with a major airline and demonstrates market interest in its Aurora technology.Overall, the agreement brings together airline demand, alternative fuel technology and Singapore’s ambition to strengthen its role in aviation decarbonisation. As Project Beacon progresses toward production, its ability to deliver certified fuel and support future capacity expansion will be important in determining its contribution to the sustainable aviation fuel market.
About
Singapore Airlines’ agreement to purchase up to 4,800 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel from Aether Fuels marks an important step toward reducing aviation emissions. The partnership supports the development of waste-based fuel technology in Singapore, with deliveries expected to begin in 2028 and plans for larger-scale production by 2031.