Australian chemicals company HAMR Energy has signed an agreement with forestry and sawmilling business OneFortyOne to secure sustainable biomass for its Portland Renewable Fuels Project (PRF Project) in Victoria, reports Bioenergy Insight.
Under the memorandum of understanding, OneFortyOne will provide forestry residues to the project, with the possibility of expanding cooperation to New Zealand, where the company manages forests in the Nelson and Marlborough regions.
Over the next 18 to 24 months, OneFortyOne will supply sample wood fibre for testing and participate in operational trials to fine-tune feedstock specifications and supply chain logistics. The goal is to establish long-term supply agreements.
The PRF Project aims to produce up to 300,000 tonnes of renewable methanol annually by combining forestry residues with green hydrogen. The $A2 billion development, which recently completed its pre-front-end engineering phase with German engineering group thyssenkrupp Uhde, is expected to begin operations in 2029.
HAMR Energy co-founder David Stribley said the deal marked an important step in expanding the company’s low-carbon liquid fuels projects and finalising its Series A fundraising.
OneFortyOne’s corporate strategy director Nick Chan said the partnership would help demonstrate how lower-value residues can be turned into renewable fuels that support emissions reduction in industries such as aviation and shipping.
The collaboration also aligns with Australia’s Cleaner Fuels Program, which has earmarked $1.1 billion to support the production and supply of low-carbon fuels.
