Australia’s Queensland to fund SAF project, studies

Australia's Queensland state government has earmarked around A$1.5mn ($980,000) to support two new sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) proposals, while backing a multi-seed crushing and processing facility with separate funding.

The government's Industry Partnership Program will contribute to Australian grains processing firm Energreen's multi-seed crushing and processing facility near the central Queensland cotton-growing town of Emerald, although a government spokeswoman declined to quantify the state's financial support for the project describing it as "commercial in confidence."

The A$22mn plant plans to have capacity for 70,000 t/yr, with Energreen considering pongamia oil production in the longer term as a potential SAF feedstock.

Queensland will also grant both private-sector domestic firm Wagner Sustainable Fuels and Australian-owned energy company Liquid Power A$760,000 each for feasibility studies to develop the case for investment in their own SAF proposals.

Wagner announced in April a partnership with aircraft manufacturer Boeing Australia to develop a SAF blending facility at its Wellcamp Airport near the inland city of Toowoomba, west of state capital Brisbane. Liquid Power is aiming to develop sustainable fuels projects for hard to transition sectors totalling 250 megalitres, according to the firm.

Australia's largest airline Qantas has a target of using 10pc SAF by 2030, or around 10,000 b/d, and is investing in a $200mn fund to accelerate global production.

Australian bioenergy developer Jet Zero is emerging as the likeliest initial SAF project in Australia with its planned 102mn litres/yr SAF plant in north Queensland where significant feedstock supplies are located.

By Tom Major