The first 15,000-litre renewable diesel delivery to Army’s School of Armour (SOARM) Puckapunyal is already powering the fleet.

Commanding Officer SOARM Lieutenant Colonel Aaron Cimbaljevic said the delivery was an important step in building energy resilience.

“In line with our National Defence Strategy, Army needs robust redundancy across energy needs and supplies,” Lieutenant Colonel Cimbaljevic said.

Known as RD30, renewable diesel is a key part of Army’s transition to low-carbon liquid fuels. It will first be used in the legacy fleet of M113 armoured personnel carriers and Australian light armoured vehicles.

Director General Fuel Capability Brigadier Mark Baldock said this was to ensure no performance degradation while maintaining full operational capability.

“Partnering with SOARM, one of Army’s largest fuel users, will help accelerate the integration of renewable diesel as part of delivering against the ADF’s energy security objectives,” Brigadier Baldock said.

Army’s involvement in the Energy Transition Program reflects Defence’s broader push towards a sustainable and resilient energy system – one that can support military readiness while reducing carbon emissions.