Sustainable aviation fuel from used cooking oil reaches Brisbane Airport

Airlines flying through Brisbane and regional Queensland cities gained permanent access to sustainable aviation fuel on Monday. The fuel is produced from used cooking oil imported from Malaysia and will be stored, blended and supplied directly to Brisbane Airport.

The project is led by fuel retailer Viva Energy Australia, which owns the Geelong Oil Refinery. The company will use its existing Pinkenba Terminal to handle the fuel before it reaches the airport.

Fuel production and use Sustainable aviation fuel is a lower-carbon alternative to conventional jet fuel. It is made from biogenic feedstocks such as waste oil, animal fat and farming materials, or produced synthetically through carbon capture and hydrogen processes.

Current rules allow up to 50 per cent of sustainable aviation fuel to be blended with traditional jet fuel. The fuel can reduce lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions by about 80 per cent compared with conventional jet fuel, according to the International Air Transport Association.

Project funding and statements The $4.93 million project received partial funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. A company executive said the cooking oil was added to an existing trade route and expressed hope that the project would encourage greater local production.

An agency official said the organisation aims to help Australia build supply chains, skills and infrastructure for a future sustainable aviation fuel industry. Aviation accounts for about 2.5 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions, and the industry has set a goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.