Several aviation industry participants have invested in Jet Zero Australia, including Airbus, Qantas and Idemitsu of Japan. Photo: Airbus

JET ZERO Australia has signed two contracts to advance Project Ulysses, the country’s first bioethanol-to-sustainable aviation fuel initiative.

These include the signing of a Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) contract with Technip Energies and continuation of the Owner’s Engineering Services contract with Long Energy & Resources (LERA).

The contracts are expected to run for several months and cover an extensive package of engineering activities, documentation and planning to refine the cost estimate for the project, develop detailed timelines and prepare a scope and basis for its Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contracts.

Jet Zero Australia aims to produce 102 million litres of SAF and 11 million litres of renewable diesel annually by 2028 made from Australian bioethanol, using leading SAF technology company LanzaJet’s proprietary Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) technology.

It is set to make a substantial regional economic impact on North Queensland by delivering over 100 direct skilled operational jobs and contributing to Australia’s energy security by bolstering domestic jet fuel production for both civilian and defence force aviation.

Technip Energies, a global engineering and technology powerhouse leading the development of energy and decarbonisation infrastructure, will lead FEED activities from Perth and Brisbane, providing detailed multi-disciplinary EPC services, expertise and experience.

LERA will provide specialist project management and owner engineering services from Brisbane to assure FEED engineering is delivered to Jet Zero’s design philosophy, and in accordance with the contract.

Execution of these contracts to complete the $36.8 million FEED program was made possible through funding support from Jet Zero’s investors and industry partners including Airbus, Qantas and Idemitsu of Japan, as well as the Commonwealth Government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) as part of the Advancing Renewables Program and the Queensland Government’s Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning (DSDIP).

Queensland’s Assistant Minister for Community Safety, Defence Industry, Veterans and North Queensland and Member for Mundingburra, Janelle Poole said the Queensland Government was steadfast in its commitment to explore opportunities for new industries across Queensland, particularly focusing on economic growth in the regions.

“The Crisafulli LNP Queensland Government will continue to actively look at ways the biofuels sector can expand, noting the importance of working closely with our agricultural cropping production areas,” Ms Poole said.

The announcement was made at an industry outreach hosted by Airbus chief sustainability officer Julie Kitcher.

Signatories were Technip Energies Australia’s managing director Gareth Philp, LERA’s CEO Chris Lawson and Jet Zero’s CEO Ed Mason.

In addition to Julie Kitcher, the signing was witnessed by Qantas chief sustainability officer Fiona Messent and LanzaJet’s regional director for Asia Pacific Flyn Van Ewijk.

Source: Jet Zero Australia