Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with climate technology firm Aether Fuels to explore the procurement of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Under the MoU, SIA Group intends to source neat SAF from Aether for five years once the company’s production plants become operational, with the option to extend the partnership for a further five years. The SAF will be blended with conventional jet fuel and supplied to selected airports served by Singapore Airlines and its low-cost subsidiary, Scoot.
Aether Fuels, incubated and funded by deep tech venture firm Xora in 2022, is developing SAF production facilities in the United States and South East Asia. The company will use its proprietary Aether Aurora™ technology to convert waste carbon feedstock into fuel. This method is designed to enhance production efficiency, lower capital costs, and deliver higher SAF yields compared to conventional processes.
SIA Group’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Lee Wen Fen, highlighted the partnership’s significance in meeting the airline’s decarbonisation targets.
“This partnership marks another step in the SIA Group’s journey towards our long-term decarbonisation goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050,” she said. “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’s upcoming SAF production projects will be certified under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and are expected to achieve a minimum 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The initiative aligns with the aviation sector’s efforts to transition towards cleaner fuel alternatives.
Aether Fuels CEO, Conor Madigan, emphasised the role of collaboration in advancing SAF innovation.
“We are proud to join the SIA Group’s ecosystem of SAF technology innovators. Their decarbonisation goals are driving ingenuity throughout the supply chain, encouraging companies like Aether to develop production solutions that integrate breakthrough technologies with next-generation feedstock strategies,” he said.
Phil Inagaki, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Xora, and Board Chair at Aether Fuels, praised Singapore’s role in fostering deep tech innovation.
“It is encouraging to see the SIA Group committing to meaningful sustainability goals and taking concrete steps to advance the adoption of SAF,” he said. “Singapore has created a supportive environment for innovation, empowering companies like Aether to scale transformative solutions for global challenges. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to accelerating SAF development and adoption.”
