Decarbonisation
18 August 2026
SAF project to use NextChem gasification technology
NextChem, via its subsidiary MyRechemical, has been awarded a licensing, process design package (PDP) and engineering services contract by SKY Renewables Burdekin Pty Ltd, an Australian project development company focused on the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), for the syngas section of Project Lion, in North Queensland. The project will gasify locally available sugarcane residues as feedstock to produce purified chemical grade syngas using of NX Circular™ gasification technology. The syngas will then be used for subsequent conversion into SAF and renewable diesel through third-party solutions. Once at full operational scale, Project Lion has the potential to produce up to 125,000 t/a of sustainable aviation fuel.
NextChem says that by valorising sugarcane tops and trash, residual biomass that is often burned in the field, the project demonstrates how gasification can enable the transformation of agricultural residues into a valuable intermediate for low-carbon fuels, while supporting a more sustainable use of local biomass resources.
Fabio Fritelli, Managing Director of Nextchem, commented: “We are proud to contribute to a project of this kind in Australia, a geography of growing importance in the evolution of the industry and an important area for the diversification of our portfolio. By leveraging our gasification technology, we can support the conversion of locally available sugarcane residues into low-carbon fuels, combining circular carbon solutions with the decarbonization needs of aviation.”
