Cyan Ventures has launched Australia’s first Green Fuels Accelerator (GFA), a landmark initiative designed to advance the commercial-scale production of low-carbon liquid fuels (LCLF) and reduce the nation’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
Funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and backed by industry partners including Qantas and Boeing, the GFA has already selected seven Australian LCLF projects to fast-track toward financial close and commercial production.
The accelerator provides tailored regulatory, technical, commercial and finance advisory support aimed at de-risking projects and unlocking domestic fuel supply.
The initiative comes as Australia’s reliance on imported fuel regularly exceeds two-thirds of domestic demand, exposing the country to significant supply chain vulnerabilities.
Dr Fraser Thompson, Managing Partner at Cyan Ventures, described the program as a mechanism for translating Australia’s natural advantages into tangible outcomes.
Australia possesses the feedstocks, the innovative capacity, and willing partners across the supply chain to become a global leader in low-carbon fuel technology and production, he said.
Thompson added that the missing ingredient for a thriving domestic sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry has not been potential, but the targeted support needed to achieve financial close, including the financing structures, offtake agreements and regulatory guidance required to turn early-stage projects into operating ones.
The pilot initiative will work alongside the seven selected projects to deliver specific commercialisation support across financing and commercial offtake.
A broad coalition of industry partners, including Qantas, Boeing, Mission Possible Partnership, Climate Tech Partners, Mills Oakley and SYSTEMIQ, will provide project advisory services throughout the process.
Fiona Messent, Chief Sustainability Officer at Qantas, said the airline is committed to reducing the emissions of Australian aviation and that scaling a domestic SAF industry is central to achieving that goal.
Qantas will contribute commercial and technical expertise to help the most promising projects reach production.
Dr Kimberly Camrass, Head of Sustainability for Asia Pacific at Boeing, described the company’s involvement as a pivotal step toward securing Australia’s energy independence.
She highlighted that the initiative supports regional economic growth, lowers long-term fuel costs and advances decarbonisation across the aviation sector.
ARENA Chief Executive Darren Miller said Australia has the foundational elements needed to manufacture its own low-carbon liquid fuels, including abundant feedstocks, strong research capability and growing sectoral demand.
He framed the GFA as a targeted intervention designed to close the gap between promising early-stage projects and commercial-scale construction, and to build national resilience against fuel supply shocks.
The seven selected projects span a range of conversion technologies and integrated feedstock-to-fuel facilities.
Each project will receive bespoke advisory support tailored to its specific technology, feedstock profile and commercial development stage.
