Thailand’s First 100% SAF Facility Opens

Thailand has opened its first 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) facility.  Operated by Thai energy company Bangchak Group, the facility is located at the Bangchak Phra Khanong Refinery.  The production unit was Thailand’s first fully integrated standalone neat SAF production facility, according to Chaiwat Kovavisarach, group CEO and president of Bangchak Corporation Public Company Limited.
The facility has an initial production capacity of 1 M liters/day.  Developed in collaboration with leading oils and fats technology company Desmet and US firm UOP Honeywell, Bangchak said the unit used hydro-processed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) technology to process fatty acids or vegetable oils, such as used cooking oil (UCO), into SAF. The company said the facility complied with International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) standards.
 
Several countries have SAF blending mandates such as the European Union at 2% by 2025 and 6% by 2030; the United Kingdom at 2% by 2025 and 10% by 2030; Singapore at 1% by 2026 and 5% by 2030.  The Thai government was considering the introduction of similar mandate, according to Bangchak.