The Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to potentially source neat sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Aether Fuels, a climate technology firm that plans to set up SAF production plants in the United States of America and South East Asia.

The agreement outlines the SIA Group’s intention to procure neat SAF for five years when Aether plants begin commercial production, with an option for a five-year extension. The neat SAF will be blended with regular jet fuel before being supplied to selected airports served by Singapore Airlines and Scoot.

Aether will use waste carbon feedstock to produce the fuel, employing its innovative and proprietary Aether Aurora technology. This method reduces plant capital cost, increases production efficiency, and achieves higher SAF yields compared to existing techniques.  

Lee Wen Fen, chief sustainability officer, Singapore Airlines, said: “This partnership marks another step in the SIA Group’s journey towards our long-term decarbonisation goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. By collaborating with like-minded ecosystem partners such as Aether, we aim to accelerate and scale up the adoption of SAF in our flight operations, laying the groundwork for more sustainable air travel.”  

Aether was incubated and funded in 2022 by Xora, a deep tech venture firm backed by Temasek. Since then, it has grown its South East Asia team while expanding its operations in Chicago, where its research and development hub is located. Aether’s upcoming commercial-scale production projects in the United States of America and South East Asia will produce Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA)-certified SAF. 

These projects are set to achieve a minimum greenhouse gas reduction of 75%, significantly contributing to the aviation industry’s sustainability efforts.

Conor Madigan, CEO, Aether Fuels, said: “We are proud to join the SIA Group’s ecosystem of SAF technology innovators. Their decarbonization goals are catalyzing ingenuity throughout the supply chain and galvanizing companies like Aether to develop production solutions that pair breakthrough technologies with next-generation feedstock strategies. The collaboration will deepen our understanding of the end-user customer priorities and of the SAF market, particularly in South East Asia. These advantages will further inform our project development programs and accelerate our path to commercialization.”

hil Inagaki, managing partner and chief investment officer, Xora; board chair, Aether Fuels, said: “It is encouraging to see the SIA Group committing to meaningful sustainability goals and taking concrete steps to advance the adoption of SAF. Singapore has built a supportive environment for deep tech innovation, empowering companies like Aether to amplify the impact of transformative solutions to global challenges. Its Aurora™ breakthrough technology enables the production of SAF with the lowest green premium and most flexible, scalable feedstock. This collaboration with the SIA Group reflects a shared focus and commitment, making it a natural fit that will undoubtedly accelerate SAF innovation and adoption.”