Wedoany.com Report-Nov. 28, Australia has launched the Fibre to Fuels (F2F) project to convert forestry plantation residues into low-carbon methanol for use in shipping, aviation, and chemical production. The initiative is led by HAMR Energy and supported by the Australian Forest and Wood Innovations (AFWI) Centre for Sustainable Futures at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

The project will evaluate the technical, commercial, and emissions-reduction potential of producing methanol through entrained-flow gasification of forest residues from plantations in Tasmania, Western Australia, and Victoria’s Green Triangle region.

HAMR Energy Director Alex Smith said the initiative would demonstrate how residues from plantations in Tasmania, Western Australia and the Green Triangle can be converted into low-carbon liquid fuels using proven technology. “The findings will help forestry businesses unlock new value from their plantations, support Australia’s renewable fuels industry, and help reduce emissions from aviation and shipping,” Smith said.

Professor Mark Brown, Director of the AFWI Centre for Sustainable Futures, described the project as an example of practical innovation that can accelerate Australia’s transition to lower-carbon manufacturing. “Forestry residues are a high-quality resource that can become a valuable domestic feedstock for renewable fuel production,” he said. “Fibre to Fuels exemplifies commercially-minded innovation that can move Australia to the forefront of low-carbon manufacturing, delivering regional benefits, building sovereign capability, and contributing to the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors.”

The F2F project builds on HAMR Energy’s existing Portland Renewable Fuels Project in Victoria, which is backed by the Australian government’s $1.1 billion Cleaner Fuels Program and aims to produce 300,000 tonnes of renewable methanol annually by combining forestry biomass with green hydrogen.

Recent cooperation agreements, including a memorandum of understanding between HAMR Energy and OneFortyOne – one of Australasia’s largest forest managers – will secure residue supply for the Portland facility and explore further opportunities across the Tasman.

Andrew White, CEO of Victoria’s Forest Products Association, noted that plantation residues and by-products previously considered waste can now be transformed into renewable fuels. “Plantation wood fibre residues and byproducts that might otherwise go to waste will be transformed into renewable low-carbon fuels – helping to decarbonise heavy transport, shipping and aviation,” he said.

The combined initiatives are expected to create new revenue streams for forestry operators, support regional employment, and position Australia as a significant producer of sustainable marine and aviation fuels.