Aussie forestry manager Forico joins HIF's e-fuels project in Tasmania

Alternative fuels producer HIF Global has struck a collaboration agreement to secure biogenic CO2, water and a potential investment in its upcoming e-fuels production facility in Tasmania.

The e-fuels multinational said on Wednesday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Tasmanian private forestry manager Forico Pty Ltd, expressing intention to use a site at Forico’s Surrey Hills plantation located 30 kilometres (18.6 miles) south of the city of Burnie, obtain a supply of biomass and water, and possibly an investment in its e-fuels project.

Do you know we have a daily hydrogen newsletter? Subscribe here for free!

Engineering works on the HIF Tasmania e-fuels scheme are currently under way, with France’s Technip Energies NV (EPA:TE) on board as the technology and plant design engineer. HIF Global expects construction of the e-fuels plant to begin in 2025.

Located outside of Burnie, the HIF Tasmania facility is expected to be able to produce up to 100 million litres of e-gasoline by 2028, using green hydrogen and recycled CO2 from plantation biomass as starting ingredients.

HIF Global said it had also executed a biomass supply agreement with Forico. The company will now work towards finalising a contract for the supply of residue biomass from Forico’s hardwood plantations in Tasmania.

“Our agreement with Forico secures an ideal location to construct the HIF Tasmania eFuels facility and identifies the sourcing strategy for our biomass. […] We have initiated engineering design and are now closer to creating approximately 200 permanent jobs in Tasmania’s northwest. eFuels production from our facility at Haru Oni, Chile demonstrates that eFuels are available now as a direct replacement to fossil fuel, decarbonising existing cars, trucks, ships, and aircraft,” said Ignacio Hernandez, HIF Asia Pacific’s CEO.

“Forico is particularly motivated by the opportunity to productively use biomass residues from our operations, reducing replant costs, the need for burning and making use of an under-utilised resource in the production of eFuel, a highly innovative resource for the future,” added Forico’s Chief Strategy Officer Andrew Jacobs.