Refining and chemicals company Aster and clean-energy startup Aether Fuels have unveiled plans to build Southeast Asia’s first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant that will produce jet fuel from waste industrial gases.
The facility, named Project Beacon, will be located at Aster’s refining complex on Pulau Bukom in Singapore, which the company acquired from Shell in April this year. Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with commercial operations targeted for 2028.
The project represents a major milestone in Aster’s regional growth strategy. The company — a joint venture between Indonesia’s Chandra Asri and commodities trader Glencore — has been expanding its downstream presence through recent acquisitions, including Singapore’s Esso retail network and assets on Jurong Island previously owned by Shell and Chevron Phillips Singapore Chemicals.
Andre Khor, Chief Financial Officer of Aster, said the initiative aligns with the company’s innovation agenda under Aster Ventures, its deep-technology arm. “Our investment approach focuses on technologies that solve industrial challenges while advancing sustainable energy solutions that complement our core businesses,” Khor said at a media briefing during the deal-signing ceremony at Temasek Shophouse on November 11.
Project Beacon will employ Aether’s proprietary technology to convert industrial waste gases and biomethane into SAF — a first for the region. While current producers like Neste rely on used cooking oil as feedstock, Aether’s process offers a new pathway to low-carbon fuel production, reinforcing Singapore’s ambition to be a regional clean-energy hub.