Johor bahru: There is no negative perception among European buyers regarding the suitability of palm oil as a feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), said Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani. The minister emphasized that used cooking oil (UCO), the primary feedstock for SAF, is highly rated in Europe and recognized as a high-quality raw material.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Malaysia also boasts the Malaysia Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification, which ensures that every metric tonne of palm oil is sustainably produced, enhancing confidence in international markets. Johari shared these remarks with reporters following a visit to the country’s first SAF biorefinery, Ecoceres Renewable Fuels Sdn Bhd, in Tanjung Langsat, Johor.

Earlier reports had raised concerns about the suitability of palm oil as an SAF feedstock, particularly due to perceptions among European buyers over issues such as deforestation and environmental sustainability. However, Johari highlighted that as the world’s second-largest palm oil producer, Malaysia holds an advantage in raw material supply for the SAF industry.

He further elaborated that the SAF initiative is part of Malaysia’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and can be considered a low-carbon business activity. The ministry is actively engaging stakeholders and collaborating with the Ministry of Transport to develop a national SAF blending mandate, with plans to introduce an initial one percent SAF blending requirement for flights departing from Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Since July 2023, the ministry, in collaboration with Petronas Dagangan Bhd, has organized awareness programs to promote UCO collection. As of September this year, more than 1,200 tonnes of UCO have been collected from nearly 66,000 customers at 89 selected Petronas petrol stations nationwide. The Ecoceres plant in Johor, Malaysia’s first SAF biorefinery, began producing SAF last month and has a licensed capacity of 350,000 metric tonnes per year.