Qantas lobbies for domestic SAF after huge import

However, the airline hinted that the need to import such large quantities from other countries highlighted the “growing momentum” behind establishing SAF production in Australia.

“If established, domestic SAF production has the potential to contribute approximately A$13B in GDP annually by 2040, while supporting nearly 13,000 jobs in the feedstock supply chain and creating 5,000 new jobs to construct and run the facilities,” the carrier said.

Sustainable aviation fuels, or SAFs, are made from a variety of renewable feedstocks, including vegetable oils, animal fats, and waste materials.

They can currently be blended with traditional fuels to lower carbon emissions. The industry has long argued that SAF is the most realistic, short-term way for the sector to hit its target of decarbonising by 2050.

“The fuel was imported by Ampol from Malaysia to its Kurnell facility on Wednesday, 7 May and is currently being blended with conventional aviation fuel before testing and certification so that it can be distributed into the Sydney airport supply chain,” Qantas said.

“It will then be used on flights departing from Sydney Airport over the coming weeks.

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“Once blended at a ratio of approximately 18 per cent, the fuel could power the equivalent of 900 flights from Sydney to Auckland on Qantas and Jetstar’s 737 aircraft, reducing the resulting carbon emissions from those flights by a total estimated 3,400 tonnes.

“This is roughly equivalent to the annual emissions generated by 800 cars.”

Scott Charlton, Sydney Airport’s chief executive, argued that NSW was uniquely placed to develop this industry as a major producer of important feedstocks like canola.

“With the right policy settings at a state and federal level, and governments working in partnership with industry, NSW can become a global leader on SAF – creating local jobs, supporting local industry, and fuelling more sustainable flights in the future,” he said.

Qantas is one of a number of industry players that have committed to embracing SAF on flights.

In March, for example, Virgin partnered with Viva Energy to trial SAF in departing flights from Whitsunday Coast Airport, while Air New Zealand last year signed a deal for 9 million litres of SAF that will be blended with conventional jet fuel.

Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy also announced in October that Australia’s military would target achieving net zero emissions by 2050 by transitioning to alternative fuel sources and introducing renewable electricity.

The initiatives followed strong lobbying by former Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce, who in 2022 argued Australia should be beating other nations to produce large quantities of SAF.

“Australians are the most competitive people I’ve ever come across,” Joyce said. “We should be making it into a World Cup. I think we’d win if that were the case.”

Joyce was a long-term advocate of encouraging SAF production in Australia, branding it a “huge opportunity” that would create “a huge amount of jobs”.

“It’s a shame if Qantas meets its 10 per cent sustainable aviation fuel target in 2030 by just buying it offshore. That would be terrible outrage in my mind, and it’s a terrible dropping of the ball in Australia.”