Biofutures Acceleration Program

A proposed biorefinery in a Queensland sugarcane region by US biotechnology company Amyris, is receiving support via the BAP. The company plans to use sugar cane-based ingredients to make a wide range of high-value bio-products. The facility could generate 70 jobs for regional Queensland.

A $60 million proposed MSF Sugar biorefinery at Atherton, Far North Queensland, is receiving support from the BAP. The project is estimated to create 80 construction and 50 operational jobs and produce 55ML of ethanol biofuel a year. MSF Sugar also plans to trial large-scale blue agave cropping and use the plant's fibre for renewable energy for the biorefinery, giving growers future income growth and diversification.

A $26 million proposed expansion of the United Ethanol's Dalby Bio-Refinery is being supported by the BAP. The planned expansion would increase the facility's biofuel production capacity by 24ML to 100ML and create 50 jobs. The company also plans to conduct detailed scientific studies to improve the marketability of its high-value animal feed product called ‘dry distillers grain’.

An $11 million planned biorefinery project by US biorefinery company, Mercurius, is estimated to create 50 jobs in regional Queensland. The company is proposing to build a pilot plant, in Gladstone, and then a larger demonstration plant, which would trial converting materials such as excess sugar cane fibre into renewable diesel and bio-chemicals. Based on performance of the pilot and demonstration projects, the company may build advanced biorefinery projects across other regional Queensland areas.

The BAP is supporting a proposed biorefinery project by Brisbane-based biotech company, Leaf Resources, in a regional Queensland location yet to be determined. The planned biorefinery would use patented technology known as Glycell to speed up and reduce the cost of converting plant waste into sustainable chemicals, biofuels and bioplastics, acting as replacements for products currently derived from petroleum.

A new $18 million biorefinery project in Bundaberg by Queensland-based bioHub developer, Utilitas, could generate more than 30 local jobs and position the region as an emerging biotechnology location. The project, which will receive support from the BAP, is seeking to convert organic trade and agricultural waste into green electricity and biocrude. Over the longer term, the biorefinery could produce biofuels and value-adding bioproducts, including bioplastics.