Jet Zero commences Pongamia trial to boost SAF production

Jet Zero has announced the establishment of a 10 hectare trial plantation of Pongamia in Powlathanga, Central North Queensland.

The trial plantation embraces silvopasture agroforestry, an integrated approach to combine trees, forage and livestock grazing on the same land, to enhance both farm productivity and environmental outcomes.

Pongamia is considered a super crop for biofuels, delivering a high yield non-edible oil in drought and salinity affected regions, meaning it can grow in regions where it is not detrimental to the environment through deforestation, habitat loss, and greenhouse gas emissions.
As a leguminous tree, Pongamia also naturally creates its own nitrogen fertiliser, which is important for plant growth, and its root biomass and nitrogen fixation improves the soil on which it grows.

Pongamia has the potential to establish a significant new industry in regional Australia producing oilseed cake for livestock feed and oil for Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) projects, such as Project Mandala.

Other Pongamia projects recently announced in Queensland include a 3,000 hectare pilot project by Rio Tinto focused on studying oil yields and growth conditions near Townsville and a trial by Idemitsu at Stanmore’s South Walker Creek mine to verify long-term cultivation methods, optimisation of the entire supply chain, and explore carbon credit creation opportunities.

Jet Zero’s trial has progressed over the last 12 months under the leadership of Jet Zero project engineer and Agronomist Ketti Ketmontri, with support from industrial manager Adam Douglas.

The Pongamia saplings used for the trial were sourced under a partnership agreement executed in October 2024 between Jet Zero and BioEnergy Plantations Australia, with the project’s commercialisation plan supported by agricultural operators and advisors ImpactAg Australia and financial modelling supported by Barrenjoey (Barclays).

The Powlathanga trial aims to demonstrate that native Pongamia saplings can grow in semi-arid cattle grazing regions in Central Queensland where the land area is vast and economies of scale can be achieved.

Jet Zero is focussed on unlocking new economic opportunities in biofuels, attracting investment and supporting secure, well-paid jobs in remote and regional communities.