Pertamina and BGN Process Used Cooking Oil into Low-Carbon Aviation Fuel

PT Pertamina (Persero) and the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) as a strategic step in developing a sustainable energy ecosystem based on domestic waste. The MoU signing was conducted by Pertamina’s President Director Simon Aloysius Mantiri and BGN Head Dadan Hindayana at Grha Pertamina, Jakarta, on Thursday (7/5/2026). Through this partnership, used cooking oil from the Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) will be processed into environmentally friendly aviation fuel or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The programme also forms part of efforts to strengthen national food and energy resilience while supporting Indonesia’s Net Zero Emission (NZE) targets through the utilisation of waste based on a circular economy. On that occasion, BGN Head Dadan Hindayana stated that the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme is one of the largest nutritious meal programmes in the world, with around 61.99 million beneficiaries. Pertamina President Director Simon Aloysius Mantiri said that the synergy between Pertamina and BGN is not merely a collaboration but a meeting of two national strategic mandates, namely food and energy. He mentioned that Pertamina is encouraged to build self-reliance in the food and energy sectors as outlined in the Second Mission of Asta Cita. “Today, we see how these two sectors do not operate independently but strengthen each other within an integrated ecosystem,” he said. Simon added that one of the key focuses of the collaboration is the utilisation of used cooking oil, which has previously been regarded as waste and a source of environmental pollution. “We turn problems into solutions. This is the essence of the circular economy, and this is where Pertamina’s role is crucial,” Simon emphasised. The used cooking oil collection programme will be implemented by Pertamina Patra Niaga through the UCollect collection machine. Pertamina’s Director of Transformation and Business Sustainability Agung Wicaksono stated that the partnership is part of Pertamina’s long-term strategy to strengthen low-carbon business while creating new economic value from domestic waste.