The Queensland Government has partnered with airline giant Qantas to unlock the State’s full potential to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
This will entail investigating how to fully use sugarcane and agricultural byproducts for biofuel production, as well as the feasibility of establishing new feedstock sources and methods.
More broadly, the State Government and Qantas will work to establish a SAF supply chain in Queensland.
The State Government noted that SAF is yet to be commercially developed in Australia.
“Growing our SAF industry is one of those opportunities that will fuel Queensland’s economic future and contribute to decarbonisation targets,” Deputy Premier Steven Miles said.
Deputy Premier Miles stated that the Government’s commitment to sustainability and the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan set the State up for success.
“Partnerships like this one with Qantas position Queensland as a SAF hub, along with the right mix of investment, government support and policy, and industry collaboration,” Deputy Premier Miles added.
Qantas now uses green aviation fuel imported from overseas and plans to employ 10% SAF in its fuel mix by 2030, and around 60% by 2050.
According to the Palaszczuk Government, the announcement, made during Australian Renewable Fuels Week, is the latest in a series of SAF wins for the State.
“Air travel is a critical industry, especially in a state as big as Queensland with an economy that benefits so much from tourism. Having a clear plan to decarbonise air travel so we can keep connecting Queensland and Australia in the decades ahead is key for the future,” Qantas Group Chief Sustainability Officer Andrew Parker said.
Parker stated that Qantas’ partnership with the State Government will enable them to establish the industry together.
“The Queensland Government is already showing real leadership in helping accelerate the development of a local SAF industry, which is giving the State a head start over other parts of the country,” Parker added.
In March 2023, the Palaszczuk Government, Qantas, and Airbus announced their backing for Jet Zero Australia’s feasibility study for a new biorefinery in Queensland that could generate up to 100 million litres of SAF every year.
The State Government has also partnered with Ampol and ENEOS to evaluate the viability of establishing an advanced biofuels manufacturing unit at Ampol’s Lytton site.
Oceania Biofuels also intends to construct a commercial aviation fuel biorefinery in Gladstone, capable of producing up to 350 million litres of SAF and renewable diesel per year.
