Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways partner on SAF project
Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways will partner with Renewable Developments Australia to build a sugarcane-based SAF facility in North Queensland, producing 96 million litres annually by 2029. Using Pure SAF technology and renewable energy, the project targets 70% lower emissions than traditional jet fuel. Boeing has endorsed the initiative, supporting technical collaboration and policy advocacy.
Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways have agreed to work together with Renewable Developments Australia to become key partners on a project that will set out to deliver a homegrown sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility in the Charters Towers Region of North Queensland.
The project aims to establish a fully integrated Ethanol to Jet (EtJ) facility that converts bioethanol derived from sugarcane grown onsite into 100% SAF, using proprietary Pure SAF technology supplied from KBR, while also generating all of the project’s energy requirements from renewable sources. This unique vertically integrated and energy self-sufficient approach sets it apart from other SAF and EtJ projects globally.
The facility is expected to produce up to 96 million liters of SAF annually which will be supplied to nearby airports. Early modelling indicates a potential lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 70 per cent compared to conventional jet fuel.
For the airlines, this project aligns with the broader Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways in October 2024. The MoU cemented their intent to collaborate on sustainability initiatives that aim to reduce carbon emissions in air travel, and advance the use of SAF and Low Carbon Aviation Fuels (LCAF) in Australia.
In further encouraging support from the broader aviation ecosystem, The Boeing Company (TBC) has endorsed the project through a positive letter of support to RDA and in which TBC outlines its commitment to collaborate in a number of areas, including policy advocacy and the contribution of technical expertise, where relevant.
The project, currently in pre-final investment decision stage, aims to deliver SAF from early 2029.
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Source : Ethanol Producer Magazine
