Can we close the gap on sustainable aviation fuel?

At TSA Riley, we back big ideas. Every year, the SMART Prize awards one of our people $20,000 AUD and up to 3 weeks of paid leave to explore a challenge facing our business, clients, or industry. It’s open to every TSA Riley person—regardless of role, background, or experience—because innovation comes from everywhere.

Winning ideas must:

• Create a lasting legacy for TSA Riley and the communities we support.
• Advance the individual’s professional growth, pushing them to new heights.
• Align with our vision and mission to deliver transformative impact.

The SMART Prize is a launchpad for change. And in 2023, Luc Ramalinga took full advantage of it.

Meet Luc: engineer, aviation expert, and SMART Prize winner

Luc is no stranger to big challenges. Before stepping into his current role as Regional General Manager of TSA Riley’s Canberra team, he spent over 2 decades in aviation, working on everything from airport design to airfield operations. His journey started with a double degree in civil engineering and business at RMIT before leading him through local government, consulting, and 10 years at Melbourne Airport—where he eventually ran the airfield department.

“I loved every single moment of it,” he says. “Being accountable for the safety of an airfield handling millions of passengers was an incredible responsibility—and an amazing experience.”

Aviation was always in his blood. As a kid, Luc dreamed of being a pilot. “Then I realised how expensive flight school was,” he laughs. “So, I went down the engineering path instead—but I always knew I wanted to work in airports.”

After years in aviation, Luc took on a new challenge: leading TSA Riley’s Canberra team. But even in his new role, his passion for aviation never faded. And when he saw the opportunity to use the SMART Prize to tackle a critical issue facing the industry, he took it.

Jet fuel, but make it sustainable

The aviation sector is a major contributor to global carbon emissions. And with net zero by 2050 on the horizon, the pressure is on to find solutions. One of the most promising? Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)—a cleaner alternative to traditional jet fuel, made from byproducts like used cooking oil, forestry waste, and even sugarcane residue.

“For aviation to truly decarbonise, we need scalable solutions,” Luc explains. “SAF has the potential to dramatically cut emissions, but Australia is years behind Europe and the US in adopting it. I wanted to understand why—and what we could do about it.”

His SMART Prize proposal was clear: travel to Amsterdam for the European Sustainable Aviation Fuel Conference to learn from global leaders, bring insights back to Australia, and explore how TSA Riley could help the industry accelerate SAF adoption.

Global lessons on SAF

At the conference, one thing became obvious: Australia is at least a decade behind in SAF adoption. “In Europe, they have mature regulations in place. Airlines are required by law to use SAF—and face penalties if they don’t,” Luc says. “That level of policy support drives real investment.”

By contrast, Australia’s SAF industry is still in its infancy. “There’s huge potential—especially with our sugarcane industry, which could provide a local feedstock—but we need regulatory and economic incentives to scale up production.”

So what is feedstock? Simply put, it’s the raw material used to produce SAF. Depending on the region, feedstock can include used cooking oil, sugarcane waste, forestry byproducts, municipal waste, and even certain crops like corn. The challenge is finding sustainable, scalable sources that don’t compete with food production or negatively impact other industries.

Luc also explored how different regions approach SAF production. “In Europe, they can produce fuel in one country and distribute it across multiple airports. In Australia, our geography makes that challenging—we need localised production solutions.”

Cleared to land, ready to lead

Since returning, Luc has been sharing his findings with TSA Riley’s aviation clients, helping them navigate their SAF roadmaps. “There’s a lot of interest in the market—but also a lot of uncertainty,” he says. “The opportunity now is to educate and support airports in setting policies that will prepare them for the future.”

And there’s more to come. “I’d love to bring global experts into the conversation here in Australia—maybe through a webinar or industry event,” he says. “The more we can share knowledge, the faster we can drive change.”

The SMART Prize: where ideas earn altitude

Luc describes winning the SMART Prize as a career-defining experience. “TSA Riley gave me the freedom to explore something I was truly passionate about—something that not only benefits our industry but also aligns with our mission as a business,” he says.

“And that’s what makes the SMART Prize so special. It’s not about your job title or seniority—it’s about ideas that have impact. We’ve had winners from all levels of the business, tackling everything from virtual healthcare and offsite construction to system dynamics and smart infrastructure.”

Oh, and the best part? Luc wasn’t the only one who got to enjoy it. “When I told my wife I’d won, she said, ‘No—we won!’” he laughs. “So, what started as a solo research trip turned into a family adventure in Europe. TSA Riley gave me that flexibility—and that’s pretty amazing.”

The next mission is already underway

Simon Northey, our 2024 SMART Prize winner from TSA Riley’s Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland team, is next in line to take off on his own mission. His focus? Exploring how remote management technologies—like virtual inspections—can transform construction projects in hard-to-reach locations. Using his work in Papua New Guinea as a case study, Simon will investigate how these tools can reduce travel, cut costs, lower carbon emissions, and keep projects moving in some of the world’s most challenging environments.

As Luc brings global aviation insights home, and Simon pushes the boundaries of construction technology, the SMART Prize continues to fuel real-world impact—for our business, our clients, and the industries we serve.