Aster, a leading energy and chemical solutions provider in Southeast Asia, has partnered with Aether Fuels, a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) producer, to build Singapore’s first next-generation commercial-scale SAF production facility. Located at Aster Pulau Bukom, the project aims to place Singapore at the forefront of energy transformation and decarbonisation while reinforcing its position as the region’s hub for sustainable industrial innovation.
The facility, known as Project Beacon, will serve as Aether’s commercial demonstration plant. Using Aether’s Aurora technology, it will produce up to 50 barrels of SAF per day, equivalent to 2,000 tonnes a year. The process converts industrial waste gas and biomethane into CORSIA-certified SAF, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 70 per cent compared with conventional jet fuel. Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with commercial operations scheduled for 2028.
Strengthening Singapore’s energy and sustainability ecosystem
The decision to locate the plant on Pulau Bukom highlights Aster’s focus on innovation and sustainability within its asset ecosystem. The company will provide renewable power, waste carbon feedstock, utilities, and site support to help accelerate the project’s development and commercialisation.
Aster Group CEO Erwin Ciputra said the collaboration marks a key milestone in reducing carbon intensity and advancing new energy pathways. “By bringing together Aether’s technology with the expertise of our Bukom facility, we are demonstrating how partnerships between established industrial leaders and agile innovators can catalyse the introduction of disruptive solutions on a commercial scale,” he said. “This reflects Aster’s broader sustainability agenda, and through Aster Ventures, we will invest in transformative technologies and next-generation energy solutions to strengthen Singapore’s role as the region’s hub for industrial renewable energy.”
Aether Fuels Founder and CEO Conor Madigan said Singapore provides the ideal environment for this initiative. “Singapore is a natural location for this facility, with its world-class talent, strong innovation ecosystem, and steady support from the Economic Development Board,” he said. “By building Project Beacon within Aster’s world-scale refinery, we can accelerate deployment of our Aurora solution and help position Southeast Asia as a global hub for sustainable fuels.”
Paving the way for scalable sustainable aviation fuel
Png Cheong Boon, Chairman of the Singapore Economic Development Board, said the partnership strengthens Singapore’s competitiveness as a centre for sustainable innovation. “This new Sustainable Aviation Fuel facility demonstrates how companies here can seamlessly collaborate to scale breakthrough innovations,” he said. “We welcome more companies to partner with us in advancing sustainable solutions and low-carbon technologies to shape the next chapter of growth for Singapore and the region.”
Project Beacon will use a range of waste carbon feedstocks, a critical enabler of next-generation SAF. While earlier production methods such as the HEFA (hydro-processed esters and fatty acids) process relied on limited feedstocks like used cooking oil, Aether’s Aurora process can convert various waste carbon sources into fuel with high yields and lower capital costs. This approach addresses scalability challenges and supports future demand for cleaner aviation fuels.
Founded in 2022, Aether Fuels develops climate technologies that convert waste carbon into high-efficiency, drop-in liquid fuels for industries such as aviation and shipping. Aster, jointly owned by Chandra Asri and Glencore, operates integrated refining and chemical assets in Indonesia and Singapore, including refineries, naphtha crackers, and downstream chemical facilities that form part of its sustainable energy ecosystem.
