NQ Biofuels Project Secures Key Deals for $1 Billion Renewable Fuel Hub
A $1 billion biofuels project in North Queensland is moving forward after signing key deals with technology partners. SKY Renewables' Project Lion aims to transform sugarcane trash into renewable fuels, which could power aircraft and other vehicles.
The company has partnered with Nextchem, part of the Italian engineering and technology group MAIRE, and global technology giant Honeywell Technologies to supply critical processing systems for the project.
SKY Renewables' CEO Simon Yim said the agreements fill the 'tech bucket' of the three key components required for a biofuels project: feedstock, technology, and off-take. The company has been working with Burdekin's cane growers since 2018 to secure the feedstock.
The project plans to use green harvesting techniques to collect sugarcane tops and trash from paddocks, which would be processed into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel at a $1 billion plant. The company is pushing for Burdekin's cane to be cut green, rather than being burnt.