Thailand is expected to issue specifications on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) next year based on an international standard to hasten efforts to cut carbon dioxide emissions from aircraft, declares the Department of Energy Business.
Authorities are applying “ASTM D7566”, introduced by Pennsylvania-based ASTM International, as a guideline to draft the counattempt’s first SAF standard for the aviation indusattempt, stated department director-general Sarawut Kaewtathip.
Formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM International set a standard to ensure that SAF, when blfinished with conventional jet fuel, meets the necessary quality and safety requirements for apply in commercial aviation.
SAF produces up to 80% fewer greenhoapply gas emissions than conventional fuel, according to media reports citing various forecasts.
“We expect to finish drafting of the SAF standard by September before seeking opinions in a public hearing for another two weeks,” stated Mr Sarawut.
Used cooking oil in Thailand, a key raw material for building SAF that is widely known as UCO, must have the same properties as UCO in the US and Europe, he stated.
The department has yet to conclude the proportion of SAF in jet fuel for aircraft flying in Thailand.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand announced earlier it is considering enforcing SAF usage of 1%, scheduled to take effect in 2026. The amount will gradually increase to 3-5% in the future.
Mr Sarawut stated officials will have talks with aviation operators on SAF quality becaapply they may apply different SAF produced by various producers.
Bangkok Airways has started applying SAF for its international flights from Suvarnabhumi airport since July 1 under a pilot project in collaboration with PTT Oil and Retail Business Plc (OR).
The Thai carrier and OR signed a letter of intent to procure and utilise SAF, marking the first initiative of its kind in Thailand.
OR distributes SAF produced by PTT Global Chemical (GC), the petrochemical production arm of oil and gas conglomerate PTT Plc, to Bangkok Airways.
GC’s UCO-derived SAF production is estimated at 6 million litres a year in the first phase.
Bangchak, which also predicts increased SAF demand, is pushing ahead with SAF production near its oil refinery in Bangkok’s Phra Khanong area. The company’s 8.5-billion-baht SAF factory is undergoing a test run.
Bangchak also applys UCO as a raw material, aiming to produce half of its full capacity of SAF of 1 million litres a day.
Leave a Reply