JOBS WINDFALL FROM SUGAR SPIN OFF: PREMIER
Published Thursday, 03 May, 2007 at 02:31 PM
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
SEOUL: A deal signed today between a leading Queensland university and South Korean institute to develop and patent cutting-edge technologies to convert sugarcane into bio-chemicals could pave the way for the Smart State’s first sugar bio-refinery, Premier Peter Beattie announced.
Mr Beattie said the partnership between the University of Queensland and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) may help Queensland’s sugar millers cash in as the $2 trillion global chemical industry shifts from oil to biomass-based production.
Sugarcane has the potential to reduce use of non-renewable fuel sources by up to 90 per cent and cut waste problems in the process.
“Sugarcane is recognised as the ideal renewable resource for bio-refineries, and Queensland’s internationally competitive sugar industry is in a unique position to benefit from this emerging industry,” Mr Beattie said.
“Now we have one of the world’s top research partnerships on the case, and that means we’re driving a whole new industry,” Mr Beattie said.
“The potential is enormous. Its estimated that a new refinery could create up to 1000 jobs so there is a big incentive to push ahead with our research.”
South Korea is Queensland’s second largest export market and has had a strong chemical industry but – until now – limited access to renewable resources. Queensland, meanwhile, is Australia’s largest producer of raw sugar.
“Building a bridge between the two industries through cutting-edge science and technology is the smart way forward,” Mr Beattie said.
“The world is moving to bio-based chemicals such as bio-plastics, with advances in biotechnology making it possible to ‘program’ micro-organisms to make complex chemicals and materials from simple renewable feedstock, like sugar.
“This is no longer science fiction but smart science.”
KAIST is home to one of the world’s leading centres in the field and the Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology at UQ has world-class experts in bio-plastic production.
Mr Beattie said the ambitious project was strongly focused on the future.
“This is all promising news for our rural communities who would benefit directly from the construction of a new generation of bio-refineries,” Mr Beattie said.
“They would also reap the rewards of a diversified sugar industry leading the world in the production of new, cleaner fuels.”
MEDIA CONTACT: Premier’s Office 3224 4500
3 May 2007
Mr Beattie said the partnership between the University of Queensland and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) may help Queensland’s sugar millers cash in as the $2 trillion global chemical industry shifts from oil to biomass-based production.
Sugarcane has the potential to reduce use of non-renewable fuel sources by up to 90 per cent and cut waste problems in the process.
“Sugarcane is recognised as the ideal renewable resource for bio-refineries, and Queensland’s internationally competitive sugar industry is in a unique position to benefit from this emerging industry,” Mr Beattie said.
“Now we have one of the world’s top research partnerships on the case, and that means we’re driving a whole new industry,” Mr Beattie said.
“The potential is enormous. Its estimated that a new refinery could create up to 1000 jobs so there is a big incentive to push ahead with our research.”
South Korea is Queensland’s second largest export market and has had a strong chemical industry but – until now – limited access to renewable resources. Queensland, meanwhile, is Australia’s largest producer of raw sugar.
“Building a bridge between the two industries through cutting-edge science and technology is the smart way forward,” Mr Beattie said.
“The world is moving to bio-based chemicals such as bio-plastics, with advances in biotechnology making it possible to ‘program’ micro-organisms to make complex chemicals and materials from simple renewable feedstock, like sugar.
“This is no longer science fiction but smart science.”
KAIST is home to one of the world’s leading centres in the field and the Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology at UQ has world-class experts in bio-plastic production.
Mr Beattie said the ambitious project was strongly focused on the future.
“This is all promising news for our rural communities who would benefit directly from the construction of a new generation of bio-refineries,” Mr Beattie said.
“They would also reap the rewards of a diversified sugar industry leading the world in the production of new, cleaner fuels.”
MEDIA CONTACT: Premier’s Office 3224 4500
3 May 2007