HIF Global to revitalize Burnie’s former Pulp Mill site with eFuels facility
HIF Global has announced that it plans to locate the HIF Tasmania eFuels Facility at the former Burnie Paper Mill site in South Burnie. The move will bring new life to one of the region’s most significant industrial sites, returning long-term employment to the community while supporting Tasmania’s ambition to be a leader in renewable energy.
The facility is expected to produce more than 200,000 tpy of eMethanol, create several hundred construction jobs and approximately 200 permanent jobs during operations.
HIF Tasmania was first announced in July 2022, with plans to locate the facility on a sustainable forestry plantation at Hampshire, 30 km south of Burnie. After significant project engineering and design work and site review, HIF concluded that the former Pulp Mill site will provide better opportunities for cost-saving modularization and port access, making it a more ideal location for this pioneering eFuels infrastructure.
Ignacio Hernandez, CEO of HIF Asia Pacific, said, “Burnie’s industrial heritage and deepwater port make the old Pulp Mill site the ideal location. Relocating here allows us to bring employment back to this historic site while enabling efficient delivery of large equipment and sustainable use of local resources, such as recycled wastewater from Round Hill Sewage Treatment Plant.”
“We are especially keen to hear from as many people as possible over the coming months so that we can build their feedback into our design. Very soon we will advertise community events where local people can come and ask us questions.”
Ian Jones, President of Business Northwest, said, “The Pulp site is hugely significant to Burnie and has sat idle and rusting for far too long. I have followed the progress of this project very closely over the last three years and believe this is a golden opportunity for the town to be at the forefront of a new, emerging industry.”
HIF Asia Pacific will submit a formal Notice of Intent to the Tasmanian Environmental Protection Agency in the coming weeks, with a Development Application to follow in 2026. Operations could commence as soon as 2030.
eFuels are made using renewable electricity to power electrolyzers that separate H2 from water. The H2 is then combined with recycled carbon dioxide from plantation residues to create eMethanol, a synthetic fuel that can be used in shipping or converted into eFuels for aviation, cars and trucks.
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