Biofuels

Vision

The Queensland Government has committed to explore how the biofuels industry can expand, while working closely with the agricultural sector to boost its output to $30 billion by 2030.

Our vision is for Queensland to be an Asia-Pacific hub in biorefining, enhancing fuel security, supporting economic diversification and growth, and creating high value jobs, particularly in our regional areas.

Initiatives to progress development of a biofuels industry

• Supporting Liquid Power and Wagner Sustainable Fuels to undertake studies to develop the case for investment in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) proposals.
• Supporing the establishment of Energreen’s multi-seed crushing and processing facility at Yamala in the Central Queensland Inland Port at Emerald.
• Supporting Jet Zero assess feasibility and progress Front End Engineering Design (FEED) for a planned biorefinery in the Townsville State Development Area which could produce up to 100 million litres of SAF each year
• Commissioned  Feedstock Expansion Study to identify the most viable  biofuels feedstocks in each Queensland region , and the opportunities and critical pathways to achieve commercial production requirements. This work is being undertaken by Deloitte, in partnership with CSIRO and the Rural Economies Centre of Excellence.
• Signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Qantas to collaborate on developing a SAF industry in Queensland
• Signed a MoU with Ampol to investigate feedstock and using existing refinery infrastructure to generate up to 500 million litres of SAF and renewable diesel a year at Ampol’s Lytton site
• Supported key industry events such as:
  • Ausbiotech 2023
  • Global Bioeconomy Alliance 2023
  • Australian Renewable Fuels Week 2023 and 2025
  • SAF APAC 2025

Sustainable aviation fuel

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) can be used as a replacement fuel in existing aircraft engines and airport refuelling infrastructure to cut carbon emissions by up to 80%. It is almost chemically identical to traditional jet fuel however, where conventional fuel is fossil-based, SAF is generated from feedstocks that absorb carbon dioxide, providing a net reduction in emissions.

Airlines worldwide are publicly committing to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and SAF is one of the strongest tools available to airlines to reduce their emissions.

Strategic Biofuels Advisor

Mr Chris Tindal was appointed as Queensland’s inaugural Strategic Biofutures Advisor in July 2018. He provides a direct connection between the Queensland Government and key global and domestic stakeholders with a view to helping cement business relationships and projects for Queensland.

Biofuels Industry Envoy

Professor Ian O'Hara was appointed as Queensland's inaugural Biofutures Industry Envoy in December 2016, spearheading the industry's drive into the Asia-Pacific.

Sovereign Industry Development Fund

The Queensland Government is ready to work with industry on strategic partnership opportunities that will accelerate industry development in our priority industries – defence, biomedical and biofuels.

For these priority industries, the $180.55 million Sovereign Industry Development Fund will:

• build our state’s sovereign industry capability
• draw on our strengths
• grow our regions.

We are looking for new strategic investment partnerships in priority industries and invite industry who have significant, catalytic projects that are ready to start, to contact us at sidf@dsdilgp.qld.gov.au.

Queensland biofuels mandates

The Queensland biofuel mandates are a step towards growing our biofuels and wider industrial biotech and bioproducts industry. The mandates will provide certainty so the industry can invest, innovate and create jobs as part of a cleaner, greener future for Queensland. A flourishing biofuels industry will also create the foundation for a new high-value biomanufacturing industry.

Check if your vehicle is E10 compatible and learn more about the Queensland biofuel mandates.

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Find out more about Queensland’s priority industries.