KUCHING: Sarawak’s proposed boutique airline will be powered by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) produced in the state, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
“Of course (the proposed airline will use our sustainable aviation fuel) and I will make another announcement during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (this month),” he told a press conference after launching the Chitose Carbon Capture Central Sarawak (C4 Sarawak) facility near the Sejingkat Power Station here yesterday.
Abang Johari said the state can play a part in supporting the global movement of achieving net carbon emissions with the production of SAF from the industrial cultivation of microalgae biomass of up 10,000ha from Balingian to Tanjung Manis in the near to middle term.
“I have proposed to our Japanese partners that maybe we can set the production level at 6,000 tonnes of microalgae biomass a month and the experts can work on how much land and carbon we need for the endeavour,” he said.
He explained SAF can be considered as an alternative from the usual fossil jet fuel and the state aims to be a global player in supplying sustainable fuel for airlines.
The Premier quipped that Sarawak could be the next Saudi Arabia, but for sustainable fuels via environmentally-friendly processes.
“The next thing is we become a major producer of natural oils and we can become another Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is rich in fossil fuels but we are producing different fuels,” he said.
Despite politically instability in Peninsular Malaysia, Abang Johari said the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak government is on the right track to spur the growth of the state’s economy to achieve developed status by 2030.
The Borneo Post
