Adelaide university has secured a $400,000 grant from the National Foundation for Australia–China Relations (NFACR) to deliver a two-year project aimed at accelerating the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
The funding, administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, was announced this week by Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong as part of a broader package supporting cooperation between Australia and China.
Known as the Australia–China Cooperation for Sustainable Aviation (ACCSA) project, the initiative will bring together Australian and Chinese stakeholders to advance SAF policy, certification, technology pathways and investment opportunities. Aviation is widely regarded as one of the world’s hardest-to-abate sectors, with SAF considered a key pathway to decarbonisation.
The project will deliver a program of seminars, workshops, conferences and publications designed to support practical collaboration between researchers, airlines, fuel producers, investors and government agencies in both countries.
Professor Shane Zhang, Professor of Aviation at Adelaide University, said the project aligns with Australia’s Future Made in Australia priorities by supporting the development of a domestic SAF industry while strengthening international cooperation.
“The ACCSA project builds directly on the successful delivery of the University of South Australia’s earlier NFACR Foundation grant,” Professor Zhang said.
“That earlier project delivered a structured program of SAF-focused engagement across Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Chengdu, as well as Melbourne and Adelaide, involving universities, original equipment manufacturers, airlines, fuel producers, consultants and policymakers.”
Under the new grant, the University of Adelaide will expand this work with a stronger focus on translating dialogue into investment-ready outcomes. Planned activities include five major SAF conferences to be held in Beijing, Adelaide, Brisbane, Hong Kong and Sydney between 2026 and 2028.
A student exchange and competition program will also be launched across five to ten universities in Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Selected students will be supported to attend ACCSA events, with the aim of developing future SAF researchers, industry specialists and policy leaders.
A longer-term outcome of the project will be the creation of an industry networking platform designed to connect SAF stakeholders across Australia and China beyond the life of the grant.
Australia–China Cooperation for Sustainable Aviation (ACCSA): Scaling up Sustainable Aviation Fuel from 2026 to 2028 is one of 22 grants announced this week by Senator Wong to support engagement and cooperation between Australia and China.