The Queensland government is investing AU$18.56 million to establish a cutting-edge biofuels project in Brisbane, aimed at strengthening the state’s fuel security and driving local innovation.
Funded through the government’s AU$180.6 million Sovereign Industry Development Fund (SIDF), the grant will enable local company Wildfire Energy to develop the Bulwer Island Biofuels Hub.
Located at the former Bulwer Island refinery site, the hub will feature a first-of-its-kind commercial reference plant capable of processing up to 30,000 tonnes of non-recyclable residual waste each year.
The project marks the commercial deployment of Wildfire Energy’s home-grown Moving Injection Horizontal Gasification (MIHG) technology, which converts hard-to-recycle waste into valuable energy products.
Phase one of the facility will generate bio-syngas to produce up to 1.4 megawatts of electricity annually, enough to power 1,000 homes.
Future phases are slated to unlock the production of bio-methanol and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), directly reducing the state’s reliance on imported fossil fuels.
Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Jarrod Bleijie said the investment would revitalise Queensland’s sovereign biofuels capability and back a home-grown industry.
“This investment will help grow Queensland’s biofuels capability, strengthen our sovereign fuel supply chains and reduce reliance on imported fuels by supporting home-grown technology and manufacturing,” the minister said.
“The Bulwer Island Biofuels Hub will turn waste into a valuable fuel source while strengthening Queensland’s energy resilience.”
Construction on the facility is scheduled to begin in late 2026, with full commercial operations anticipated to commence in early 2028.
Wildfire Energy CEO Greg Perkins welcomed the funding, noting it provides a bridge from tech demonstration to commercial scale.
“The funding allows us to move to delivering Queensland’s first waste-to-biofuels commercial reference plant, creating jobs, attracting investment and supporting the growth of Queensland’s biofuels industry,” Perkins said.
“Bulwer Island gives us the opportunity to show how Queensland innovation can be used to turn hard-to-recycle waste into valuable products and help build new industries for the future.”
