Aviation experts from the University of South Australia (UniSA) will work together with their Chinese counterparts to develop a sustainable biofuel industry in both countries.
The said partnership builds on the $1.7 billion (US$1.1 billioin) federal budget allocation to prioritise renewable fuels for the aviation industry over the next decade.
According to the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (ATIC), Australia aims to become a major exporter of biofuels because of the country’s comparative advantage to support production of the said resource.
“Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) can potentially cut carbon emissions by up to 80 percent and are essential if we are to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in Australia 2050,” UniSA Aviation professor Shane Zhang said.
“There is a lot of potential to produce sustainable aviation fuels in Australia and China, as both countries have large quantities of bio feedstock and the market is untapped.”
The Albanese government has also allocated $18.5 billion over four years to develop a certification scheme for sustainable aviation fuels and renewable diesel. A further $1.5 million will go towards a two-year analysis of the costs and benefits of introducing mandates.
These efforts are seen as a signal by the Albanese government to support the growth of SAFs and biofuels in Australia. SAFs are jet fuels produced from renewable resources such as biomass.
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) said that SAF can help Australia attain net zero emissions in 2050, while also promoting new industries that can open new employment opportunities for Australians. This is amid the expected surge in demand for air travel over the next two decades.
Professor Zhang said that he and his eight Chinese colleagues will organise and develop eight events in China and Australia over the next two years to look at how standard sustainable aviation fuels can be commercialized for future use.
SAFs, while still in infancy, are expected to experience an increase in demand as more countries seek to mandate its use to mitigate the effects of climate change.
“The technology is ready and mature, and the federal government has sent a clear signal about its support for greener aviation fuels. We just need to overcome the challenges and find the right path,” Mr. Zhang said.
Reuters earlier reported that biofuel firms are investing more than US$1 billion into building China’s first plant to turn wasted cooking oil into aviation fuel for export and address local demand in the next few years.
The partnership between UniSA and select Chinese experts is expected to produce sustainable aviation fuels for both countries especially due to their untapped bio feedstock and other materials.
“Australia is among a handful of countries globally to support the transition to SAFs, but the financial commitment to develop a local industry does not extend to a mandate at this stage.” Mr. Zhang furthered.
In April, Qantas said that 11 businesses have opted to pay a premium to address their air travel emissions by contributing to the cost of SAF, instead of the traditional carbon offsets, through the airline company’s corporate sustainable aviation program.
“The growing demand from corporate Australia for SAF is a clear vote of confidence in the domestic production of biofuels,” Qantas Group Chief Sustainability Officer Andrew Parker said.
