"From the kitchen to the skies" pushes Thailand's Low-Carbon Aviation Hub

The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), in collaboration with PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited (GC), a global chemical business and commercial producer of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), launched the "From the kitchen to the skies" project on November 14, 2025, at the MHESI.

The initiative aims to expand the network of Used Cooking Oil (UCO) collection points to higher education institutions nationwide, with a focus on raising awareness and promoting the participation of the new generation in driving a low-carbon society.

This cooperation builds upon the successful pilot project conducted between August and October 2025.

During the pilot phase, GC, together with its network of over 22 partners, including recycled waste management centres in Rayong and nearby provinces, successfully collected 7.09 tons of UCO.

This UCO was then converted into 1.75 tons of SAF, generating over THB215,000 in revenue for the community and helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5,654.98 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Prof Supachai Pathumnakul, Permanent Secretary of MHESI, stated that the expansion of this collaboration to higher education institutions nationwide is a crucial step in growing the UCO collection network from the current 56 sites across the country.

The goal is to make the network more comprehensive and accessible to the new generation, fostering participation in systematic waste management based on the Circular Economy principle and supporting Thailand's ambition to become the ASEAN Low-Carbon Aviation Hub.

"MHESI has a policy to drive the Green University initiative, requiring all universities nationwide to play a key role in achieving the Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions target by 2050, aligning with the government's policy. This partnership with GC is consistent with our mission to raise awareness among young people. MHESI will support the expansion of UCO collection points to the university network, initially targeting over 20 pilot universities nationwide, which will be evaluated based on the readiness of each institution. This is about creating a waste management model in higher education that can be scaled up to the wider society," said Supachai.

Narongsak Jivakanun, Chief Executive Officer of GC, commented, "GC believes in the power of the new generation and educational institutions. Today's collaboration with MHESI merges GC's potential to convert UCO into high-value products like SAF with the network of higher education institutions. We aim to foster Creating Shared Value among the industry, the education sector, and communities in a tangible way. We are not just reducing greenhouse gas emissions; we are creating a genuine culture of sustainability among the youth, who are the future workforce of the nation."

Under this partnership, GC and MHESI will jointly promote the establishment of UCO collection points at participating universities and organise educational public relations activities to ensure a correct understanding of used cooking oil management.

This initiative serves as a starting point to expand the power of sustainability from the industrial sector to educational institutions, creating significant momentum for Thailand to achieve its Net Zero goal and become the ASEAN Low-Carbon Aviation Hub.

The "From the kitchen to the skies" collaborative project is also part of GC's development of a Biorefinery that can produce SAF, Biochemicals, and Bioplastics, which can be further developed into a variety of everyday products. This reflects GC's commitment to driving the Circular Economy and creating sustainable differences.