Chandra Asri Joint Venture Partners with Aether Fuels to Build Southeast Asia’s First Sustainable Aviation Fuel Facility in Singapore
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SINGAPORE, Investortrust.id — Aster Chemicals and Energy Pte Ltd, a joint venture between Indonesia’s leading petrochemical group PT Chandra Asri Pacific Tbk, or TPIA, and U.S.-based sustainable fuel innovator Aether Fuels, has signed an agreement to build Southeast Asia’s first commercial-scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility on Bukom Island, Singapore.
The collaboration combines Aether’s proprietary clean-fuel technology with Aster’s integrated refining and chemical expertise. The new plant will strengthen Singapore’s position as a regional hub for energy transformation and industrial sustainability.
Called Project Beacon, the initiative will serve as Aether’s first commercial demonstration facility. Using its Aurora™ technology, the plant is designed to produce up to 50 barrels per day, equivalent to around 2,000 tons of SAF annually.
Aurora converts industrial waste gases and biomethane into CORSIA-certified sustainable aviation fuel with more than 70 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional jet fuel. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026, with commercial operations targeted for 2028.
The Bukom project underscores Aster’s broader commitment to clean-energy innovation. The joint venture will provide renewable power, waste-carbon feedstock, and supporting infrastructure to accelerate the development and commercialization of Aether’s technology.
Group CEO Aster Erwin Ciputra said the partnership marks a key milestone in carbon-intensity reduction and energy diversification. “By combining Aether’s technology with our world-class facility in Bukom, we demonstrate how collaboration between industry leaders and innovators can deliver disruptive, scalable solutions,” he said in an official statement on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2025.
“This reflects Aster’s wider sustainability agenda. Through Aster Ventures, we are investing in transformative technologies and next-generation energy solutions to reinforce Singapore’s role as a regional renewable-energy hub,” he added.
Group CEO Aster Erwin Ciputra and Aether Fuels Founder and CEO Conor Madigan after signing an agreement to develop Project Beacon, Southeast Asia’s first commercial sustainable aviation fuel facility, on Bukom Island, Singapore, Tuesday, Nov 11, 2025.
Aether Fuels Founder and CEO Conor Madigan said Singapore offers an ideal environment for the groundbreaking facility, citing its world-class talent, strong innovation ecosystem, and continued support from the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
“Aether originated here as a venture project at Xora Innovation, a deep-tech company backed by Temasek. We have been impressed by the expertise and forward-thinking approach of Aster and our regional partners such as Singapore Airlines Group and Sembcorp,” Madigan said.
“By building Project Beacon within Aster’s global-scale refinery complex, we can accelerate the deployment of Aurora and position Southeast Asia as a global center for sustainable fuels.”
EDB Chairman Png Cheong Boon said the SAF project would further enhance Singapore’s competitiveness as a sustainable manufacturing hub. “This initiative shows how companies in Singapore can collaborate to scale up innovation. We welcome more partnerships to develop sustainable and low-carbon technologies that will shape the next chapter of growth for Singapore and the region,” he said.
Project Beacon will utilize various carbon-waste feedstocks—key to producing next-generation SAF. Unlike the HEFA (hydro-processed esters and fatty acids) process that depends on feedstocks such as vegetable oils, Aether’s Aurora system can convert waste carbon into fuel at high yield and lower cost, providing a scalable pathway to next-generation sustainable fuel production.