Investment of nearly 100 million dollars, the construction of feedstock pretreatment and biodiesel refinery

In order to accelerate the development of the Johor Bahru Special Economic Zone, six local Malaysian banks have signed a letter of intent with the Ministry of International Banking and Economy to help facilitate the attraction of capital to the zone. At present, the total investment intention of these banks has reached as high as RM2.35 billion, which fully reflects the high recognition of financial institutions on the future potential of the special zone.

It is reported that the cooperation includes Malayan Banking Berhad, as well as five international financial institutions such as United Chang Group, Galaxy International Securities, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Bank of America and HSBC. The exact amount of investment by the other five banks is yet to be officially disclosed.

Among them, against the backdrop of surging demand for sustainable biofuels, Alpine announced that its subsidiary plans to invest about RM350 million over the next three years to build a renewable energy feedstock pre-treatment and regenerative biodiesel refinery at Johor Tanjung Langsar Port. The project is expected to process approximately 600,000 tons of renewable feedstock oil per year and convert it into finished biofuel products.

This series of initiatives not only highlights the strong attraction of the Johor Special Economic Zone, but also shows the accelerating development trend of the integration of global financial capital and the green energy industry. With the simultaneous promotion of policy support and industry landing, Johor SEZ may become a new engine for green economy development in Southeast Asia.

4AIR identifies over 100 SAF supply hotspots worldwide

May 19- 4AIR, the Ohio-based sustainable aviation solutions company, announced that its interactive “Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Supply Map” is now live on the Aviation International News (AIN) website, with more than 100 SAF supply locations around the globe formally labeled and verified.

The map will be an important tool for business aviation operators looking for SAF on a global scale. As SAF feedstock sources and production processes become more diverse, tracking its use is becoming more critical. 4AIR’s Assure SAF Registry system provides customers with accurate tracking and certification of SAF use, supporting credible claims in voluntary carbon emission reduction and regulatory reporting, and reinforcing the company’s environmental credentials.

According to statistics, 15 new SAF supply points were added globally in the first quarter of 2024, and about 50 new ones are expected for the whole year. To date, the 114 SAF supply points identified by 4AIR cover 92 airports worldwide, including 47 in the U.S., 43 in Europe, and one each in Asia and the Middle East.

Through this ever-expanding map, 4AIR is providing strong support to promote the decarbonization of the global aviation industry and build a transparent and efficient SAF ecosystem.

Sydney Airport and Ampol Import 2 Million Litres of SAF

In a major step towards aviation decarbonization, Qantas, Ampol, and Sydney Airport—supported by members of the Qantas Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Coalition—have successfully imported Australia’s largest-ever shipment of sustainable aviation fuel. This week, nearly 2 million litres of neat SAF arrived from Malaysia and is now undergoing blending, testing, and certification at Ampol’s Kurnell facility before entering Sydney Airport’s fuel supply chain.

Once blended at approximately 18%, the fuel will power Qantas and Jetstar 737 flights, equivalent to around 900 return journeys from Sydney to Auckland. The use of this SAF is expected to cut carbon emissions by about 3,400 tonnes—comparable to removing 800 cars from the road for a year.

This milestone highlights the growing momentum to develop a viable domestic SAF industry, demonstrating both Ampol’s and Sydney Airport’s readiness to handle SAF within existing infrastructure. It also reinforces the critical role of national carriers like Qantas in advancing Australia’s clean aviation future.

UK Launches New Measures to Accelerate Sustainable Aviation Fuel

The UK has announced a bold set of initiatives to establish itself as a global leader in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and accelerate the path to zero-carbon flight. Unveiled by Parliament this week, the measures aim to fast-track the commercialization of clean fuels while supporting national employment and economic growth.

Each SAF producer will receive an additional £400,000 grant to assist with fuel testing and certification—on top of the £63 million already distributed this year through the Advanced Fuels Fund.

To ensure price stability for consumers, the government is also introducing a Revenue Certainty Mechanism (RCM), funded by levies on aviation fuel suppliers. The scheme is expected to keep average ticket price increases within £1.50 per year. The Department for Transport (DfT) will continue to work with industry partners on finalizing RCM details.

These combined efforts reflect the UK’s strategic commitment to decarbonizing aviation and leading the global shift toward greener skies.

USDA expects soybean oil consumption for biofuels to grow in 2025/26

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, released on May 12, lowered its forecast for soybean oil consumption for biofuel production in 2024/25, but expects an increase in 2025/26.Soybean oil consumption for biofuels is forecast to be 13.1 billion pounds in 2024/25, a small increase from last month’s estimate of 13.25 billion pounds. downward revision. This figure, however, is expected to increase to 13.9 billion pounds in 2025/26, indicating continued growth in biofuel demand for soybean oil.

In terms of overall supply, U.S. soybean supplies in 2025/26 will be slightly lower than the previous year, mainly driven by lower production. Soybean production for the year is forecast at 4.34 billion bushels, with lower exports and declining production reducing total supply by less than 1%, despite higher beginning stocks. U.S. soybean crush is forecast to reach 2.49 billion bushels, up 70 million bushels from the previous year, helped by higher demand for soybean meal and increased exports.

On the price front, the 2025/26 average soybean price is forecast at $10.25 per bushel, up from $9.95 in 2024/25; soybean meal prices are forecast at $310 per short ton, up $10 year-on-year; and soybean oil prices are forecast at 46 cents per pound, up 1 cent year-on-year. Despite the pressured export outlook, U.S. soybean oil stocks are projected to increase 6 percent from the previous year.

Globally, soybean production in 2025/26 is forecast at 426.8 million tons, up 1%, with Brazil leading the way with a record production of 175 million tons, up 6 million tons from the previous year. Argentina, on the other hand, has seen production revised down to 48.5 million tons due to a shift in acreage to corn.

Global soybean crush is expected to grow 3% to 366.5 million tons, with China, the U.S., Brazil, Egypt, and Pakistan as the main driving forces. Global soybean exports are expected to grow 4% year-on-year to 188.4 million tons, with an 8.5 million-ton increase in exports from major South American exporters (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay) more than offsetting the decline in U.S. exports. China’s soybean imports are expected to reach 112 million tons, up 4 million tons year-on-year.

Global soybean ending stocks are expected to increase by 1.2 million tons to 124.3 million tons, with Brazilian and Argentinean stocks increasing to compensate for the decline in U.S. stocks. Overall, the global soybean industry continues to be driven by both biofuels and international demand.

Successful refueling of 5,600 tons of B24 biofuel

On May 9, China Ship Fuel (CSF) successfully refilled 5,600 tons of bonded B24 biofuel oil for the vessel SALLY MAERSK at Guandong Terminal of Shanghai Yangshan Port, which set a new record for the amount of marine biofuel oil refilled at a single time in China.

THAI uses domestically produced SAF for the first time

On May 9, Thailand’s aviation industry marked a green milestone – Bangkok Airways and PTT Petroleum & Retail Business officially signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) announcing the use of Thai locally-produced Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for flight operations. This is the first time that Thai-made SAF has been put to practical use, signaling that the country’s aviation fuel industry is moving towards self-control and sustainable development.

The signing ceremony was held at Bangkok Airways headquarters. Dechit Chareonwong, Senior Executive Vice President of Operations of Bangkok Airways, said that this cooperation is an important step for the two companies to work together and will be a strong impetus for Thailand’s aviation industry to start a new era of “green flight”.

Chaipruet Watchareekhup, Aviation and Marine Marketing Manager of PTT’s Petroleum and Retail Business, said that as Thailand’s leading aviation fuel distributor, PTT’s cooperation with Bangkok Airways to use locally manufactured SAF for the first time is an important signal to promote the industry’s green transformation.

The SAF, supplied by PTT Global Chemical, is understood to utilize the Co-processing technology route, which combines innovative products with sustainable production processes to ensure fuel performance and environmental standards.

This cooperation will not only help Bangkok Airways achieve its carbon reduction target, but also lay the foundation for Thailand to have a say in the global aviation decarbonization process.

Republican Congressman Introduces Second Generation Biofuels Tax Credit Bill

Recently, U.S. Rep. Mike Carey, R-Ohio’s 15th District and a member of the House Fundraising Committee, and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D., a Republican member of Iowa’s 1st District, co-sponsored a cross-party legislative proposal aimed at extending tax incentives for second-generation biofuels to further the development of the indigenous advanced biofuel industry. fuels to extend tax incentives for second-generation biofuels and further promote the development of a homegrown advanced biofuels industry.

The proposal seeks to extend the existing second-generation biofuel producer tax credit of up to $1.01 per gallon for qualifying fuels, such as corn fiber-based cellulosic ethanol. Since its inception, this tax incentive has been instrumental in driving investment in innovative fuel technologies and the scaled-up production of domestically produced advanced fuels.

Legislators say the continuation of this policy will further solidify U.S. technological advantage in the clean energy sector, while enhancing rural economic vitality and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. The bill, which is currently under consideration by the U.S. Congress and has the support of some Democratic lawmakers, is expected to become one of the focal points of the policy game in the coming months.

SIA purchases 1,000 tons of SAF

Singapore Airlines and its Cool Airline jointly announced on May 9 that it has signed agreements with two companies to procure sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and related certificates. SIA has purchased 1,000 tons of pure, CORSIA-compliant SAF from Finnish Petroleum, the second time it has sourced such fuel locally, which will help drive the development of Singapore’s SAF ecosystem and enhance supply chain resilience.

In addition, SIA also procured carbon emission reduction certificates equivalent to 2,000 metric tons of SAF from a U.S.-based biofuel company through the “certificate trading” model, which allows it to declare emission reduction benefits without the need to physically deliver the certificates. Both transactions were completed in the first quarter of this year and are expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 9,500 metric tons.

SIA is also an active participant in the Green Fuel Forward program to drive demand for SAF in the Asia Pacific region. SIA’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Ms. Li Wenfen, said the company will continue to work with its global partners to decarbonize the airline industry, laying the groundwork for a 5% SAF utilization rate by 2030 and a net zero emissions target by 2050.

Volotea plans to buy up to 7.5 million liters of SAF

Spanish airline Volotea announced in April that it had reached an agreement with Total Energy to supply sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for the airline’s flights from French airports.

Volotea plans to purchase up to 7.5 million liters (nearly 2 million gallons) of SAF from Total Energy between 2025 and 2029, an amount that will enable the airline to reduce the carbon footprint of flights operating from French airports.

According to a study by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the use of pure SAF can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 90 percent over its entire lifecycle compared to traditional fossil-based aviation fuels.