KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — What once sizzled in kitchen woks is now poised to power jet engines. At the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), a unique collaboration between PETRONAS and Capital Oil & Fats Sdn. Bhd. came to life today through a public campaign that made sustainability tangible, practical, and scalable.
The Used Cooking Oil (UCO) Collection Campaign, held on campus, successfully collected 283.30 kilograms of used cooking oil from 29 participants — including UTM staff, students, and members of the public. That waste oil, typically discarded or poured down drains, will soon be refined and transformed into Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), a clean, renewable alternative to conventional jet fuel. The collected volume alone is enough to help fuel upcoming flights for carriers such as Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, and Thai Airways.
The campaign, promoted under the banner “Don’t pour it. Power it!”, served both as an awareness drive and a real-time demonstration of how everyday kitchen waste can become part of the aviation industry’s green future. PETRONAS led the effort to highlight how UCO, when properly collected and refined, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, lowers reliance on fossil fuels, and contributes to the country’s broader energy transition goals.
This initiative is part of Malaysia’s larger push toward Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles and the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By turning kitchen waste into jet fuel, the campaign supports responsible consumption, promotes clean energy, and engages communities in climate action aligning with both national policies and global sustainability targets.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel, or SAF, is a non-petroleum-based fuel derived from sources such as used cooking oil, animal fats, and agricultural residues. When compared to traditional jet fuel, SAF can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80 percent. According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), SAF is already in use at more than 160 airports around the world. With the aviation sector accounting for roughly two percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, and about 12 percent of transportation-related emissions, SAF is increasingly seen as one of the most immediate and impactful solutions to decarbonizing flight.
Once the oil is collected, it undergoes a hydro-processed renewable jet fuel (HRJ) conversion process. There are three known methods of this conversion one-step, two-step, and three-step — each with its own balance of speed, cost, and economic resilience. A landmark study published in the Journal of Cleaner Production in 2021 found the three-step method to be the most economically viable under uncertain market conditions. It produces not only jet fuel but also high-value byproducts such as glycerin and unsaturated fatty acids, driving the minimum selling price of the jet fuel down to just $0.31 per liter. That makes it not just sustainable but also commercially competitive.
Beyond the numbers and partnerships, the campaign also directly supported multiple UN SDGs. These included good health and well-being by preventing oil from polluting waterways, clean and affordable energy through the repurposing of waste into fuel, and responsible consumption and production via circular economy practices. It also reinforced global climate action targets and demonstrated the power of cross-sector collaboration.
Participants were paid in cash for the oil they contributed, but more importantly, they walked away as advocates for a cleaner, smarter future. For those who missed today’s drive, PETRONAS stations across the country are now accepting used cooking oil in exchange for cash a practical way for everyday Malaysians to participate in climate solutions.
“Change starts on the ground with awareness, with collaboration, and with action,” said Ahmad Nadjme Yusuf of PETRONAS. His words summed up the spirit of the day: that real impact doesn’t require complex systems just committed people and a good idea.
With this program, Malaysia is not only recycling oil. It’s demonstrating how waste can become innovation, and how sustainability can take flight quite literally.
