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With sugarcane a likely source to meet Australian domestic needs for biofuels and bioenergy, Queensland Cane Agriculture and Renewables (QCAR) is taking every opportunity to campaign for a Federal Government commitment to a world-leading sugarcane-based bioenergy industry.
QCAR was invited to present at the recent State Development Industry Breakfast at Townsville on 13 November, as well as join a panel of presenters who are involved in the biofuels and bioenergy sectors.
QCAR Herbert District Manager and Senior Technical Agricultural Officer Lawrence Di Bella and Chief Strategy Officer Michael Kern attended the breakfast, which attracted around 300 attendees. Also on the panel were Jet Zero CEO Ed Mason, Pongamia Farm Midway Limited’s Project Lead Mick Theobald and Qantas Sustainable Aviation Fuel Executive Manager Matt Hudson.
Mr Di Bella said Australia needed to move quickly to sure up the nation’s future domestic needs for fuel and power using sugarcane-based biofuels and bioenergy.
“The big question for our industry now is whether our government will make a commitment that will provide the platform for us to lead in developing a world-first sugarcane-based bioenergy industry.”
Australian Army Brigadier Ben McLennan, told attendees that Townsville was one of the biggest garrison cities in Australia and it was set to get even bigger, increasing an already significant demand for fuel and other resources under the Federal Government’s defence force strategy.
“This aligns with the Federal Government’s largest financial investment into defence since 1942,” Mr Di Bella said.
Currently, the enormous demand for fuel is filled predominantly by Singapore, China and Taiwan. Brigadier McLennan said Australia currently had less than a month of fuel reserves.
Mr Di Bella highlighted this urgency. Presenter Drew Penny, General Manager, Business Development at the Port of Townsville Limited provided an update on storage capacity and expansion plans. He said the Port was preparing for additional storage of fuels (biofuels) to meet Defence, general aviation and industry needs, with the proposed development of a Renewable Energy Hub already on the drawing board.
Representing the farming sector (sugarcane and rotational crops) on the panel, Mr Di Bella said current sugarcane industry arrangements, such as Cane Supply Agreements and access to feedstocks, were identified as one of the barriers to the development of a regional biofuels industry.
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