Dutch giant Airbus backs Townsville sugarcane jet fuel

International sugarcane jet fuel producers have chosen Townsville for a first-in-Australia production plant, with the project promising to fire up 100+ jobs.

Airlines already use sustainable aviation fuel made from sugarcane.

International sugarcane jet fuel producers have chosen Townsville for a first-in-Australia fuel production plant.

Project Ulysses is slated for a site at Cleveland Bay, and aims to make 102 million litres of ‘sustainable aviation fuel’ and ‘renewable diesel’ from bioethanol.

Companies Jet Zero and LanzaJet have signed a licence and engineering agreement, which includes the use of LanzaJet’s bioproduct conversion technology at the proposed first alcohol to jet fuel plant in Australia.

Jet Zero chief executive Ed Mason said in a statement the agreement meant the project could advance to the final investment decision stage.

The 102m litres could meet annual fuel requirements for the Townsville and Cairns airports, Jet Zero claims.

Qantas aims for 10 per cent of its fuel to be sustainable aviation fuel by 2030, and 60 per cent by 2050. Picture: Supplied

Beyond environmental benefits, they say the project is set to generate more than 100 skilled jobs and creating supply chain opportunities across North Queensland.

In the U.S. state of Georgia, LanzaJet opened a “world first” ethanol to sustainable aviation fuel production facility in January this year.

The Georgian plant provides a blueprint for the Townsville project.

LanzaJet chief executive Jimmy Samartzis said Australian partnerships with Jet Zero, the Queensland Government, Airbus and Qantas made a “direct impact in significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enabling job creation, and preserving Australia’s environment for generations to come”.

An Emirates Airbus A380 flew on 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel in a demonstration flight in November. Picture: Giuseppe Cacace/AFP

Dutch aircraft builder Airbus backs the project.

Airbus chief representative, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, Stephen Forshaw, said Australia lacked production of sustainable aviation fuel, and “the challenge to start production is urgent”.

“If we don’t move soon, the opportunity to build a new fuels industry locally will disappear.

“However, we think Australia has every chance of becoming a sustainable fuels superpower, with the right support from government and industry,” Mr Forshaw said.

“This is why we’re so supportive of Jet Zero’s mission to become Australia’s first homegrown producer of SAF, and equally supportive of their partnership with LanzaJet, that will enable production here.”

Currently sustainable fuel is blended with conventual fuel, requiring no changes to planes and helicopters which use it.

Originally published as Dutch giant Airbus backs Townsville sugarcane jet fuel