thyssenkrupp Uhde and HAMR Energy complete Pre-FEED for Australia’s renewable fuels project, aiming to produce green methanol for shipping and aviation.
thyssenkrupp Uhde has successfully completed the Pre-FEED (Front-End Engineering Design) stage for the ambitious Portland Renewable Fuels Project, being developed in collaboration with HAMR Energy in Victoria, Australia. This project marks a significant step in Australia’s efforts to build a sustainable energy future and strengthen its position in renewable fuel technologies.
The initiative focuses on producing green methanol by using locally available biomass residues combined with renewable electricity. Green methanol is considered one of the most promising low-carbon fuels for hard-to-decarbonize sectors such as shipping and aviation. When used directly, it provides a clean-burning option for maritime transport, while it can also be refined into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a near drop-in substitute for conventional jet fuel. SAF is regarded as a cornerstone technology for lowering lifecycle emissions in global aviation, making this project highly relevant for international decarbonization goals.
The project strongly aligns with Australia’s 2024 National Hydrogen Strategy, which envisions the nation as a global leader in hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels. By contributing to the decarbonization of long-haul transport, the Portland Renewable Fuels Project represents a concrete step towards achieving one of the strategy’s key objectives.
Nadja Håkansson, CEO of thyssenkrupp Uhde, highlighted the importance of this collaboration, stating: “We are proud to support HAMR Energy in shaping the future of renewable fuels in Australia. Our proven expertise in process engineering, technology integration, and project execution is the foundation of this project’s success.”
Richard Owen, Director and Chair of HAMR Energy, emphasized the milestone’s significance: “This achievement reflects both our ambition and our strategy—to partner with leading global technology players in order to deliver Australia’s next generation of clean fuels. The completion of Pre-FEED represents a key step in realizing a transformative energy project for the nation’s future.”
A local project with global impact
The Portland Renewable Fuels Project is expected to position Australia as a regional hub for renewable fuels. thyssenkrupp Uhde is contributing its specialized biomass-to-methanol technology, drawing on more than a century of chemical process engineering expertise. The company’s track record includes proprietary solutions for gasification, methanol synthesis, and emissions reduction. Importantly, its Australian operations will play a direct role by delivering local engineering and project execution capabilities, ensuring that the project is both technologically robust and locally anchored.
Karan Bagga, Product Manager for Green Ammonia and Managing Director of thyssenkrupp Uhde Australia, noted: “The completion of the Pre-FEED phase underlines our ability to bring advanced technologies to Australia’s clean energy transition. This milestone represents a vital step towards building a homegrown low-carbon fuels industry.”
Similarly, Alex Smith, Projects Director at HAMR Energy, stated: “By working with thyssenkrupp Uhde, HAMR gains access not only to cutting-edge technologies but also to local expertise. Both elements are essential for the successful realization of this project.”
As the project advances beyond the Pre-FEED stage, it stands as a lighthouse initiative, capable of demonstrating how collaboration between international technology leaders and domestic expertise can help Australia achieve its clean energy ambitions while making a tangible contribution to global carbon reduction.
