Australia has sufficient feedstock to build a domestic sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry capable of meeting more than its projected jet fuel demand by 2030, according to a new white paper released by GrainCorp.
In its From Paddock to Plane: Feedstock White Paper, prepared as part of its work with the Jet Zero Council, GrainCorp said existing feedstocks could support SAF production equivalent to around 117% of Australia’s projected jet fuel demand in 2030, Australian Aviation reported.
GrainCorp Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Robert Spurway said Australia already produces key feedstocks needed to establish a domestic SAF industry, including canola, tallow and used cooking oil, backed by established infrastructure, technical expertise and supply chains.
He said the country currently exports much of these feedstocks at relatively low value, leaving Australia dependent on imported aviation fuel.
According to Spurway, Australian farmers could play a major role in strengthening the country’s fuel security by supplying crops already grown domestically, provided they receive clear market signals to support long-term investment decisions.
The report comes as Viva Energy commissioned dedicated SAF infrastructure at its Pinkenba terminal in Queensland to supply Brisbane Airport.
The A$4.93 million project, partly funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), involved refurbishing a 3.3 million-litre sustainable aviation fuel storage tank and installing a certification and accounting system to track the environmental benefits associated with SAF.
The infrastructure will enable biogenic feedstocks such as used cooking oil to be converted into sustainable aviation fuel and blended into Brisbane Airport’s jet fuel supply.
ARENA Chief Executive Officer Darren Miller said the project would allow airlines and corporate customers to purchase sustainable aviation fuel while tracking and accounting for associated emissions reductions through a “book and claim” system.
He said sustainable aviation fuel would play a critical role in reducing emissions from one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise while using existing aircraft and airport infrastructure.
Viva Energy General Manager of Aviation Nick Adams said the project marks an important step in developing the infrastructure and market systems required to support aviation decarbonisation in Australia.
He said large-scale deployment of SAF would require not only production capacity but also supporting infrastructure, transparent certification systems and customer confidence.
According to Adams, the Pinkenba facility demonstrates how sustainable aviation fuel can move from supply chain planning to commercial airport operations while providing internationally recognised certification for emissions reductions.
Industry leaders, including Sydney Airport Chief Executive Officer Scott Charlton and the Australian Airports Association, have also called for the development of a domestic SAF industry to strengthen Australia’s aviation fuel security following recent geopolitical disruptions linked to the Iran conflict.
