PALMOILMAGAZINE, SURABAYA — A remarkable innovation from Indonesia has gained global recognition. Aidatul Fitriyah, a graduate of Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), won First Place for Best Paper at the International Journal of Oil Palm (IJOP) Paper Competition 2025, thanks to her breakthrough research that transforms palm oil waste into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
The prestigious international competition, organized by the Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP) in collaboration with the Indonesian Oil Palm Society (MAKSI), was held in hybrid format at IPB University, drawing over 115 participants from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and East Africa. Only nine finalists were selected to present their research on October 25, 2025, with Aidatul’s work emerging as the best among them.
Turning Palm Waste into Green Jet Fuel
Her study, titled “Zero-Waste Palm Oil Biorefinery System for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Production,” introduces an integrated biorefinery model that converts palm oil industry waste into SAF, while also producing biochar, bioplastics, and biofertilizers—supporting a circular economy and resource efficiency.
“The goal is to convert palm waste into clean energy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 72.4%, in line with Indonesia’s net-zero emission targets and international frameworks such as CORSIA and RED II,” Aidatul explained, as quoted by beige-heron-208544.hostingersite.com from UNAIR’s official release (Oct 29, 2025).
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A Cross-Disciplinary Scientific Approach
Her research combined data from global institutions such as IEA, IRENA, BPS, and the World Bank, and utilized Aspen Plus V14 software to simulate the waste-to-fuel conversion process. Environmental impact was assessed using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), while economic feasibility was measured through NPV, IRR, and Payback Period analysis.
“This project shows that science must go beyond the lab—it should connect with industrial and policy realities,” she said.
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Aidatul hopes her research can serve as a national blueprint for building green energy ecosystems within Indonesia’s palm oil sector, potentially inspiring pilot biorefinery plants in Sumatra and Kalimantan to support the SAF blending mandate in aviation.
“This achievement proves Indonesian research can compete globally,” she concluded. “More importantly, it shows that science can deliver real solutions for energy transition and industrial sustainability.” (P2)
