Noviqtech’s Coralia Joins Data Centres Australia to Supply Biochar Cement
NoviqTech (ASX: NVQ) has announced its subsidiary Coralia has secured affiliate membership with Data Centres Australia (DCA), the national peak industry body representing the country’s data centre sector. The Noviqtech Coralia Data Centre Partnership positions the company to engage directly with one of Australia’s fastest-growing infrastructure segments as data centre operators pursue net zero commitments. Coralia has also appointed TFA Project Group to provide initial pre-feasibility engineering and project management support for its Great Barrier Reef Biochar project in North Queensland.
The dual announcements establish strategic pathways for Coralia to commercialise its biochar platform across two revenue streams: low-carbon cement solutions for data centre construction and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) credits for hyperscale operators.
Coralia secures Data Centres Australia membership as biochar strategy takes shape
The affiliate membership provides Coralia with direct engagement across one of Australia’s fastest-growing infrastructure segments. Data Centres Australia aims to position Australia as a global hub for AI infrastructure investment and sustainable data centre development.
Three key developments underpin the strategic significance of this announcement:
- DCA Membership: Coralia gains the opportunity to engage with a number of Australia’s largest data centre construction companies through affiliate status with the national peak industry body.
- Biochar for Cement: Data centres are typically built with high volumes of cement and concrete due to their unique design considerations. Cement production is currently responsible for 8% of global emissions annually and is the single biggest contributor to industrial causes of carbon pollution, positioning biochar as a practical decarbonisation solution by acting as a replacement filler and reducing carbon-intensive clinker.
- TFA Appointment: Highly regarded engineering firm TFA Project Group has been appointed to provide initial pre-feasibility engineering and project management support for the Great Barrier Reef Biochar Project.
AI and automation enabled by data centre infrastructure could contribute up to $600 billion to GDP by 2030, according to government projections. Global data centre operators and AI hyperscalers are committing to ambitious net zero and carbon-negative targets, increasing demand for both lower embodied carbon construction materials and high-integrity biochar CDR credits.
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What is biochar and why does it matter for data centres?
Biochar is a carbon-rich material produced through the thermal decomposition of organic biomass in the absence of oxygen. The process creates a stable form of carbon that can be stored for extended periods, providing a recognised pathway for carbon dioxide removal.
Coralia’s institutional-grade biochar portfolio offers two distinct commercial applications. When incorporated into cementitious materials, biochar permanently sequesters stable carbon within concrete structures while reducing reliance on high-emissions clinker in cement production. This embodied carbon reduction is particularly relevant for data centre construction, where facilities require substantial concrete volumes due to structural and security requirements.
The technology also enables the generation of verifiable carbon removal credits. Biochar provides carbon storage lasting hundreds to thousands of years, offering data centre operators and hyperscalers a measurable and auditable carbon removal solution aligned with voluntary and compliance carbon markets.
Timothy Brooks, Noviqtech Executive Director and Coralia Managing Director
“The data centre sector represents a high-growth infrastructure market with increasing focus on both embodied carbon reduction and high-integrity carbon dioxide removal. Joining Data Centres Australia as an affiliate member provides Coralia with strategic access to key decision-makers across the data centre ecosystem. We believe biochar offers a differentiated solution in decarbonising cement used in data centre construction while also delivering durable carbon removal aligned with data centre operator and AI hyperscaler net zero commitments.”
Strategic market access through DCA membership
Engaging Australia’s data centre ecosystem
Affiliate membership converts Coralia from an external supplier into an embedded industry participant with visibility to procurement decision-makers. The DCA represents a sector experiencing rapid expansion driven by cloud adoption, artificial intelligence workloads, enterprise digital transformation, and significant hyperscale investment.
Data centre construction is capital-intensive and requires substantial volumes of concrete, with embodied carbon in cement representing a material contributor to lifecycle emissions. This creates a structural demand driver for lower-carbon construction materials as operators seek to comply with evolving sustainability frameworks and green building standards.
Belinda Dennett, Chief Executive Officer of Data Centres Australia
“Data Centres Australia is pleased to welcome Coralia as an affiliate member. Coralia is well aligned to the goals of Data Centres Australia, to be a leader in sustainable data centre development and to ensure Australia is at the forefront of technical innovation. We look forward to Coralia’s engagement and input to support our sector on practicable pathways towards decarbonisation.”
Through its affiliate membership, Coralia intends to participate in data centre sustainability and embodied carbon working groups, positioning biochar-based solutions within data centre procurement and decarbonisation strategies. This creates a direct pathway to commercial conversations with major developers and hyperscalers pursuing net zero commitments.
TFA Project Group appointed for Great Barrier Reef Biochar project
TFA Project Group brings credentialled expertise to Coralia’s Great Barrier Reef Biochar project in North Queensland. The engineering consultancy has over 30 years of bio-energy engineering experience and is the only firm to implement a greenfield commercial-scale bioethanol plant in Australia (Dalby Biorefinery).
TFA’s appointment signals progression from concept to execution phase for the biochar initiative. The firm will leverage its expertise in renewable fuels and bioenergy engineering to provide the foundational technical and management framework for the project.
TFA has relevant North Queensland experience, including provision of the pre-feasibility study for the Jet Zero Ulysses Sustainable Aviation Fuel project in Townsville. This regional expertise is directly applicable to the Great Barrier Reef Biochar project’s North Queensland location.
| Credential | Detail |
|---|---|
| Experience | 30+ years in bio-energy engineering |
| Key Project | Dalby Biorefinery (only greenfield commercial-scale bioethanol plant in Australia) |
| Recent Work | Pre-feasibility study for Jet Zero Ulysses SAF project, Townsville |
| Role for Coralia | Pre-feasibility engineering and project management support |
The engagement marks a significant step for the Great Barrier Reef Biochar project, which is positioned as an institutional-grade, large-scale biochar carbon removal initiative. TFA will provide initial pre-feasibility engineering and project management support to establish the technical and operational framework required for project development.
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What comes next for Coralia
The Noviqtech Coralia Data Centre Partnership establishes a dual-track commercialisation pathway for the company’s biochar platform. DCA membership provides market access to data centre developers and operators, while TFA’s appointment advances the engineering foundation for large-scale biochar production.
Coralia’s positioning targets two distinct revenue streams from the same underlying technology. Biochar-enhanced cement sales address the embodied carbon reduction requirements of data centre construction, while biochar CDR credits offer hyperscalers a verifiable carbon removal solution aligned with net zero commitments.
Through its DCA affiliate membership, Coralia intends to:
- Engage directly with developers, operators and construction partners
- Participate in data centre sustainability and embodied carbon working groups
- Position biochar-based solutions within data centre procurement and decarbonisation strategies
The company sees its DCA affiliate membership as a strategic market touchpoint to integrate biochar supply, cement decarbonisation and carbon removal solutions into a unified offering for data centre developers and hyperscale operators. This integrated approach positions biochar as both a construction input and a carbon credit product, creating dual commercial pathways from a single technology platform.
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