Queensland’s first ever crane to be powered by fossil fuel-free 100 per cent renewable diesel will be used to install large structural steel beams and precast concrete panels at Brisbane’s new theatre at Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).
Not currently manufactured or available in Australia, the renewable diesel was procured and imported to Queensland as part of a cross-industry collaboration between Lendlease, Queensland Government – Biofutures QLD and Department of State Development Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning – Refuelling Solutions and BSF Mobile Cranes.
The initiative will demonstrate the viability of renewable diesel as a low carbon solution within the construction industry, ahead of the Queensland Government’s Oceania Biofuels’ refinery commencing operations in 2025.
The New Performing Arts Venue will increase the footprint of QPAC, making it the largest performing arts centre in Australia, with the potential to welcome an additional 300,000 visitors a year across five venue spaces.
In late 2022, Lendlease began using renewable diesel in tower cranes on the Powerhouse Parramatta project in Sydney, marking a first for Australia. It is already used in the majority of Lendlease’s construction projects in the United Kingdom, including Google’s headquarters in London.
Construction is responsible for 23 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, with roughly 5.5 per cent of these emissions directly caused by powering construction machinery and equipment, mainly through fossil fuel use such as mineral diesel.
Moving towards fossil fuel-free construction without the use of carbon offsets is a key part of Lendlease’s goal to reach ‘absolute zero carbon’ across construction, development, and investment management globally by 2040.
Jerome Johnson, General Manager Construction QLD/NT, Lendlease said the use of renewable diesel at QPAC will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90 per cent over the life cycle of the fuel compared to fossil diesel.
“With Brisbane hosting the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we hope our initiative is a step towards a climate positive Games and inspires collective action for fossil-fuel free construction for contractors and the supply chain.”
Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles said lower emissions fuel will play a role in Queensland’s transition to a renewable energy future.
“Continuing to use biofuels locally will grow our local industry opportunities, making Queensland an attractive place for global and national businesses to set up biorefineries and biomanufacturing.”
