Luxury resort Marina Bay Sands is taking sustainability to new heights, converting kitchen waste into renewable fuel as Singapore accelerates its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) ambitions.
The landmark property has established what it says is Asia’s first hospitality-led closed-loop system for renewable fuel, transforming approximately 100,000 litres of used cooking oil annually into SAF and renewable diesel.
Working with Neste, one of the world’s largest SAF producers, the resort collects used cooking oil from its kitchens twice weekly. The waste is transported to Neste’s Singapore refinery, where it is processed into high-quality, low-emission fuel.
In a full-circle approach, part of the refined product is then procured back by Marina Bay Sands to power its back-up generators, reducing carbon emissions from this fuel type by around 11 per cent.
The initiative underscores a broader shift across Asia-Pacific, where aviation stakeholders are rapidly scaling SAF production and adoption. Industry projections suggest SAF could account for 4-5 per cent of global jet fuel consumption by 2030, with Singapore positioning itself at the forefront of this transition.
Under Singapore’s national policy, all departing flights are now required to use a 1 per cent SAF blend from 2026, rising to between 3 and 5 per cent by 2030 depending on supply. The mandate is supported by a levy on airfares, for flights booked from 1 April, to help bridge the cost gap between SAF and conventional jet fuel.
For the travel industry, initiatives like Marina Bay Sands’ closed-loop model highlight how suppliers beyond aviation are entering the SAF value chain, a trend likely to accelerate as demand ramps up.
As sustainability becomes a defining factor in travel decision-making, such partnerships are setting a new benchmark for responsible luxury while supporting the decarbonisation of aviation.
