Aether Fuels, Aster to develop next-gen SAF facility in Singapore
Chicago-based Aether Fuels said it has partnered with Southeast Asian energy and chemical solutions provider Aster to develop a next-gen sustainable aviation fuel production facility in Southeast Asia at Aster Pulau Bukom in Singapore.
The facility will combine Aether’s Aurora technology and Aster’s expertise at its fully integrated refining and chemical hub in Singapore.
“We are particularly impressed by the expertise, openness and innovation-focus of Aster, and other regional partners, such as the Singapore Airlines Group and Sembcorp, with whom we aim to advance Singapore’s SAF industry,” said Conor Madigan, founder and CEO of Aether Fuels.
“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.”
Named as Project Beacon, the facility will produce up to 50 barrels of fuel per day (2,000 tons of fuel per year) converting industrial waste gas and biomethane into SAF.
Project Beacon is expected to commence construction in 2026 and begin commercial operations in 2028.
The project will be located at Aster’s Pulau Bukom site integrated within the existing asset ecosystem. Aster’s refining and chemical hub in Pulau Bukom includes integrated operations with a refinery exceeding 300,000 barrels per day (bpd), a naphtha cracker, and downstream chemical assets. Aster will provide renewable power, waste carbon feedstock, utilities and site support to accelerate the development and commercialisation of Aether’s scalable solution.
“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,” said Erwin Ciputra, Group CEO of Aster. “This reflects Aster’s broader sustainability agenda and through Aster Ventures, we will invest in transformative technologies and next-generation energy solutions – working closely with innovators to strengthen Singapore’s role as the region’s hub for industrial renewable energy.”
Aether’s proprietary Aurora solution overcomes the feedstock challenges by converting a variety of abundant waste carbon feedstocks into fuel with high yields and low capital costs.
The partnership between the two firms builds upon their August announcement wherein Aster invested in Aether for production of sustainable fuels.