{"id":30519,"date":"2025-11-26T13:01:03","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T03:01:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/?p=30519"},"modified":"2026-03-03T16:50:47","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T06:50:47","slug":"new-australian-project-aims-to-turn-wood-waste-into-jet-fuels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/new-australian-project-aims-to-turn-wood-waste-into-jet-fuels\/","title":{"rendered":"New Australian Project Aims to Turn Wood Waste into Jet Fuels"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Australia is looking to turn forest residues into the next generation of low\u2011carbon fuels used in shipping, aviation and chemicals as part of the Fibre to Fuels (F2F) project – a new project backed by the Australian Forest and Wood Innovations (AFWI) Centre for Sustainable Futures at the University of the Sunshine Coast.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Led by HAMR Energy, the project will test the technical, commercial and emissions\u2011reduction potential of producing methanol from plantation residues using entrained\u2011flow gasification and aligns with AFWI\u2019s national mission to maximise the value of Australia\u2019s wood fibre resources and strengthen the link between forestry and renewable energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The announcement comes after Wood Central last month revealed that the Albanese government has committed $1.1 billion to expand domestic sustainable fuel manufacturing under its Cleaner Fuels Program. That program is already supporting HAMR Energy\u2019s Portland Renewable Fuels Project in Victoria\u2019s Green Triangle, which aims to produce 300,000 tonnes of renewable methanol annually by combining forestry biomass with green hydrogen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HAMR Energy Director Alex Smith said the initiative would demonstrate how residues from plantations in Tasmania, Western Australia and the Green Triangle can be converted into low\u2011carbon liquid fuels using proven technology. \u201cThe findings will help forestry businesses unlock new value from their plantations, support Australia\u2019s renewable fuels industry, and help reduce emissions from aviation and shipping,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Professor Mark Brown, Director of the AFWI Centre for Sustainable Futures, the project exemplifies the kind of translational research needed to accelerate Australia\u2019s low\u2011carbon transition<\/a>. \u201cForestry residues are a high\u2011quality resource that can become a valuable domestic feedstock for renewable fuel production,\u201d he said. \u201cFibre to Fuels exemplifies commercially\u2011minded innovation that can move Australia to the forefront of low\u2011carbon manufacturing, delivering regional benefits, building sovereign capability, and contributing to the decarbonisation of hard\u2011to\u2011abate sectors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The announcement comes after OneFortyOne, one of Australia and New Zealand\u2019s largest forest managers, signed a memorandum of understanding with HAMR Energy last month to supply residues to the Portland project and explore expansion into New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That deal is described as a \u201cmissing piece\u201d in developing a trans\u2011Tasman market for sustainable aviation and marine fuels, with Air New Zealand among international carriers advocating for forest waste to be converted into jet fuel. Industry leaders say the combined initiatives could transform the Green Triangle into a powerhouse for renewable fuels, creating new income streams for growers and processors while supporting regional jobs. \u201cPlantation wood fibre residues and byproducts that might otherwise go to waste will be transformed into renewable low\u2011carbon fuels \u2013 helping to decarbonise heavy transport, shipping and aviation,\u201d said Andrew White, CEO of Victoria\u2019s Forest Products Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n