Fuelling the Future: Australia and Indonesia Join Forces

Australia and Indonesia are strengthening collaboration on sustainable fuels as both countries look to accelerate emissions reduction across hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation, heavy transport and industry.

From 9–11 February 2026, the Australia–Indonesia Sustainable Fuels (AISF) Symposium will be held in Bandung, Indonesia, bringing together researchers, industry leaders, policymakers and innovators from both countries.

According to AISF Symposium Co-Chair Dr Denny Gunawan, the motivation for the event is clear: sustainable fuels are essential to decarbonising sectors that cannot be easily electrified.

“Sustainable fuels are very important for decarbonising industry and heavy-duty transport,” Dr Gunawan said. “Sectors like aviation, shipping and industry need solutions such as sustainable aviation fuel, renewable diesel, hydrogen, ammonia and methanol.”

Beyond emissions reduction, Dr Gunawan emphasised the need to think regionally about the role of sustainable fuels in Australia’s long-term energy security.

“Energy security isn’t just a domestic issue,” he said. “Countries are deeply interconnected, so working with strategic neighbours like Indonesia is essential.”

Different strengths, shared ambition

Australia and Indonesia bring complementary capabilities to the sustainable fuels transition.

Australia has strong research and development capacity in e-fuels, hydrogen and electrolysis technologies, supported by universities, research hubs and spin-out companies. Meanwhile, Indonesia has a large industrial base and significant biofuels experience, with pilot and demonstration projects already operating at scale.

According to Dr Gunawan, these different strengths create real opportunities.

“Indonesia has deep experience commercialising biofuels and developing feedstock supply chains, while Australia has advanced research, technology development and sustainability certification frameworks,” he said. “By learning from each other, both countries can accelerate progress.”

The timing of the Symposium is also significant. With both countries committed to emissions reduction targets by 2030, collaboration is increasingly seen as an accelerator rather than an optional extra.

“Five years is not a long time,” Dr Gunawan said. “To meet our climate ambitions, we need mechanisms that speed things up, and regional collaboration is one of them.”

From dialogue to action

The AISF Symposium has been deliberately designed to move beyond knowledge-sharing and towards practical cooperation.

The program features two flagship components:

▪ The Sustainable Fuels Forum, focused on policy, industry and innovation, and highlighting sustainable aviation fuel

▪ A Sustainable Fuels Summer School, aimed at building technical and systems-level capability

The Forum will explore opportunities such as creating policy frameworks that give industry the confidence to invest, as well as the potential for joint Australia-Indonesia university seed funding to support clean energy research and commercialisation.

The Summer School will give participants the chance to learn from both academics and industry leaders, providing real-world insights to inspire the next generation of sustainable fuels leaders.

Supporting collaboration

The NSW Decarb Hub is co-organising the Symposium, reflecting NSW’s focus on promoting sustainable fuels and regional engagement.

“The NSW Decarb Hub is pleased to support the Symposium as part of its ongoing commitment to advancing sustainable fuels,” said Hub Business Manager and Symposium organiser Dr James Christian. “Indonesia is a close neighbour and a critical partner for Australia’s clean energy transition, and this event will help us create practical pathways for collaboration that support sustainable fuels development at scale.”

Dr Gunawan highlighted the importance of researchers, industry and government all being actively involved.

“We’re very grateful for the Decarb Hub’s help in bringing all the different stakeholders together,” he said.

“For Australian researchers and spin-out companies looking to scale, Indonesia represents a large and attractive market. At the same time, Indonesian industry is actively seeking advanced technologies that Australia can provide.”

From farm to fuel

Sustainable fuels development is more than a technological challenge. Agricultural and forestry sectors play a vital role in providing the organic materials needed for their production.

NSW Decarb Hub Land and Primary Industries Network Lead Prof Uffe Nielsen, a member of the Australian Symposium delegation, said regional engagement offers valuable lessons for scaling Australia’s domestic supply.

“With the right policy settings and investment, bioenergy feedstocks can create new income streams for farmers while delivering real emissions reduction,” Prof Nielsen said.

“Indonesia’s experience with biofuels shows what’s possible when feedstocks, policy and markets are aligned. It’s also essential that we manage our natural resources to balance food production, bioenergy feedstocks, fibre, fodder and biodiversity outcomes.

“For Australia, working with regional partners helps sharpen our own approach to building reliable, sustainable feedstock supply chains.”

Looking ahead

Looking beyond February 2026, the organisers see the Symposium laying the groundwork for ongoing cooperation.

Planned next steps include a discussion paper outlining the opportunities and challenges for sustainable fuels collaboration, and work towards establishing an Australia–Indonesia sustainable fuels alliance to support continued engagement.

“We see this Symposium as a starting point, not an endpoint,” Dr Gunawan said. “Over the next few years, we hope this event sparks partnerships that lead to new technologies and pilot projects that help accelerate emissions reduction for both countries.”