THAI Airways, the Kingdom’s national carrier, signed an agreement last week with Bangchak Corporation to share knowledge and innovation in the development and use of sustainable aviation fuel to fight climate change.

Thamarat Paryoonsuk, Vice President of Bangchak’s Refinery Business Group, said that the agreement is part of the company’s commitment to pursue its vision of “Crafting a Sustainable World with Evolving Greenovation.”

Primarily an oil-refining company, Bangchak has become one of a handful of firms in Thailand developing their own formulations for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). It is in the process of converting its oil refinery near Bangkok’s port into a biofuels manufacturing facility.

The company announced last year that it had formed a joint venture to produce SAF from used cooking oil and that its SAF factory would open in late 2024.

Teaming up with THAI Airways should give Bangchak added guidance on tailoring its SAF formulations to the needs of the airline, which likely would be a major buyer of Bangchak’s new fuel.

THAI is not the only airline starting to source SAF. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said that several Asia-Pacific carriers have begun buying limited amounts of SAF, including Korean Air, ANA, Japan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Qantas and Cebu Pacific.

Bangchak also has competition from other THAI energy producers. Recently, Energy Absolute, a local renewables firm, said that it plans to double its output of SAF, although it produces a variety of biodiesel fuel.

Meanwhile, Global Green Chemicals Plc, the biochemical arm of PTT Global Chemical, is conducting a feasibility study on the production of SAF, and Bangkok Aviation Fuel Services, a listed company, is collaborating with sugar producer Mitr Phol to study whether a plan to produce SAF from agricultural waste is worthwhile.

Source: Royal Thai Embassy, Washington D.C.