Virgin Australia, Qatar Airways expand sustainability commitment with Renewable Developments Australia

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 percent SAF, using proprietary PureSAF 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, according to Virgin Australia. 

The facility is expected to produce up to 96 million liters (25.4 million gallons) of SAF annually, which will be supplied to nearby airports.  

Early modeling indicates a potential lifecycle greenhouse-gas emissions reduction of 70 percent 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.  

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, Boeing has endorsed the project through a positive letter of support to RDA and in which Boeing 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 prefinal-investment decision stage, aims to deliver SAF from early 2029. 

Tony D’Alessandro, the managing director of RDA, said the partnership with Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways marks a significant milestone in the development of a sustainable aviation fuel industry in Australia. 

“We are proud to be working with two globally recognized airlines that share our vision of creating a domestic supply of sustainable aviation fuel,” D’Alessandro said. “This project is designed to deliver real, long-term emission reductions while building a new industry in regional Queensland. Our ETJ SAF facility in the Charters Towers Region will be a fully integrated production site, generating sustainable fuel from bioethanol derived from locally grown sugarcane. Additionally, by repurposing byproducts of the SAF production process to generate renewable power onsite, we are setting a new benchmark for sustainability in aviation fuel manufacturing. This initiative is more than just a step towards decarbonizing air travel, it represents a major investment in Australia’s energy security and regional economic development.”  

Christian Bennett, Virgin Australia’s chief corporate affairs and sustainability officer, said the project had close alignment with the priorities in the Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways MOU. 

“The commercial aviation sector in Australia—indeed globally—faces an enormous task ahead in working towards a target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, which we cannot do alone,” he said. “Working together with industry partners and government to establish a domestic SAF industry in Australia will be essential—not only to achieve these shared emissions goals, but to strengthen Australia’s liquid-fuel security by reducing reliance on global supply chains and creating new, secure jobs for those living in regional Australia. We are delighted to be working with our strategic partner, Qatar Airways, and the team at RDA to try and bring this project to life. It is a task strongly aligned with a key priority of our MOU with Qatar Airways, which at its core focuses on advancing SAF and LCAF certification, production and commercial uptake through strategic collaborations, with a focus on investing in Australia.” 

David Janetzki, Queensland’s treasurer and minister for energy, said, “Today’s announcement helps position Queensland as a global sustainable aviation fuel leader. The new government has committed to progress the sustainable fuels industry, which stands to create opportunities and new jobs in regional Queensland.”