SINGAPORE (Reuters) -Taiwan plans to start importing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to Taoyuan and Songshan airports via state-owned refiner CPC Corp in the first half of 2025, its civil aviation administration said in a statement.

Taiwan's announcement is the latest move by an Asian country to use SAF, made from renewable sources to power aircraft.

The fuel is seen as crucial for the aviation sector to reach its goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, but its adoption remains in a nascent phase.

Following is a look at the latest SAF projects and agreements in the Asia-Pacific region.

TAIWAN

Taiwan's airlines are encouraged by its civil aviation administration to use up to 5% of SAF in its fuel programme starting in 2030, although there is no mandate yet.

CPC should be importing SAF in the first half of next year, Taiwan's civil aviation administration said.

INDONESIA

Indonesia has mandated 3% biofuel blending by 2020 for jet fuel, but implementation has been delayed.

Indonesia's state-owned Pertamina has issued its first spot purchase tender for SAF, to be delivered in August.

Indonesia flew its first commercial flight using palm oil-blended jet fuel in October 2023, after running a test flight with the same fuel on an aircraft flying from West Java to Jakarta.

SINGAPORE

Singapore announced in February it would aim for a 1% SAF target starting in 2026 and plans to raise it to 3-5% by 2030, subject to global developments and the wider availability and adoption of SAF.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) plans to introduce an SAF levy for the purchase of the fuel to be set at a fixed amount, based on the SAF target and projected SAF price at that time.

Singapore Airlines Group ordered 1,000 metric tons of SAF from refiner Neste, the first supply of such fuel in the city-state to airlines at Changi Airport.

CHINA

There is no set SAF mandate in China as of June 2024, but Beijing is expected this year to unveil its policy on SAF use for 2030, which, could spur billions of dollars of investment, industry executives told Reuters.

NEW ZEALAND

There is no set SAF mandate in New Zealand as of June 2024.

Air New Zealand received a 500,000-litre delivery of SAF manufactured by EcoCeres in China in Wellington in June, its first delivery to the capital city.

MALAYSIA

Malaysia's 2023 National Energy Transition Roadmap stated plans to install a 1% SAF blending mandate without providing a timeline. The target will be increased to 47% by 2050.

Malaysian state oil company Petronas and Japan's Idemitsu Kosan Co, signed a preliminary agreement to collaborate on development and distribution of SAF in October 2023.

INDIA

India aims to have 1% SAF in aviation fuel by 2027, doubling to 2% in 2028. The SAF targets will initially apply to international flights.

Indian Oil Corp will set up an 80,000-metric-ton per year SAF plant with LanzaJet in Haryana. The company has a tie-up with LanzaTech for converting waste gas to ethanol and into jet fuel.

JAPAN

Japan is mandating that 10% of aviation fuel for international flights using Japanese airports be sustainable starting in 2030, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry has said.

Fuji Oil Co Ltd began planning production of bio-SAF at Sodegaura Refinery with Itochu Corp in May 2023.

Japan's top airlines, All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL), have expanded their SAF purchases by adding supplies from trading house Itochu Corp and U.S. producer Raven SR.

Other companies exploring SAF production in Japan include Mitsubishi Corp, Boeing, and TotalEnergies SE.

PHILIPPINES

Cebu Pacific flew a plane from Singapore to Manila powered by a 35% SAF blend from Neste in September 2022. The airline signed a long-term strategic partnership with Shell Eastern Petroleum to make SAF more widely available for its fleet, but the country does not have a mandate yet.

AUSTRALIA

Qantas Group launched the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Coalition (SAF Coalition) in collaboration with Australia Post, KPMG Australia, Macquarie Group, the local arm of Boston Consulting Group and Woodside Energy in November 2022.

Qantas and Airbus SE will jointly invest A$2 million ($1.34 million) in a biofuel refinery being set up in Australia's Queensland state to convert agricultural by-products into SAF.

Australia does not have a mandate yet.

(Reporting by Cassandra Yap,Trixie Yap and Colleen Howe; Editing by Kevin Liffey)