GOVERNMENT FUNDS RESEARCH TO REVOLUTIONISE SUGAR CANE
Published Monday, 22 October, 2007 at 04:07 PM
Premier
The Honourable Anna Bligh
In a potentially huge boost for the sugar cane industry, the Queensland Government is backing research that would revolutionise sugarcane and enable the same crop to be turned into both sugar and ethanol.
Premier Anna Bligh said the State Government is providing $2 million towards the project, which is so significant one of the world’s biggest agribusinesses, international firm Syngenta, has also come on board.
“At present sugar is extracted from sugarcane and either sold as food or the sugar is turned into ethanol. You produce one or the other,” Ms Bligh said.
“Either way, what’s left over when the sugar is extracted, bagasse, is of little use.
“Previously people have tried to turn bagasse into ethanol but very expensive enzymes have to be added to break it down so that it can ferment. The cost is so high it’s just not worth it.
“However, scientists from Queensland University of Technology are developing sugarcane that makes its own enzymes, dramatically reducing the cost of turning bagasse into ethanol.
“The implications for regional Queensland and the environment are enormous.
“Sugarcane farmers could use the whole crop … and with a second revenue stream from the bagasse the industry would become much stronger.”
The Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry, Desley Boyle, said the boosted production of ethanol could reduce the use of fossil fuel, significantly cutting greenhouse gas.
“If just half the bagasse produced in the industry was converted to ethanol it could produce up to 5% of Australia’s current petrol consumption,” Ms Boyle said.
“The research also has the potential to be transferred to other crops such as sweet sorghum and cassava.
Syngenta is set to partner with QUT researchers and leading Australian agbiotech company, Farmacule BioIndustries, to build a world-class centre for ethanol and biofuels from sugar cane.
The Syngenta Centre for Sugar Cane Biofuel Development will be established at QUT in Brisbane.
“Last year alone Syngenta spent around $900 million on R&D – Queensland will now have access to Syngenta’s unique plant biotech and enzyme technology as we forge ahead with our research efforts in cane biofuels,” Ms Boyle said.
The Queensland Government is providing $2 million directly to help establish the Centre through its National and International Research Alliances Program.
Ms Boyle said Mackay will play a crucial role in this project.
“Once the modified sugarcane is produced it will be processed at the Mackay Renewable Biocommodities Pilot Plant and turned into ethanol.
“The pilot plant will help prove that it works commercially,” Ms Boyle said.
The Queensland Government provided $3.1M through the Innovation Building Fund towards the establishment of the Mackay Renewable Biocommodities Pilot Plant.
Ms Boyle said a world-class team of scientists from Syngenta will now move to Brisbane. They will work with a team of Queensland’s leading biotechnologists from QUT’s Sugar Research Institute led by renowned plant biologist Professor James Dale.
Director of QUT’s Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities, Professor James Dale said the Centre’s primary focus will be on tackling the challenge of modifying the sugarcane so that the bagasse can easily be turned into ethanol. This is method is known as cellulosic bioethanol.
“The exciting thing for us is the potential to substantially decrease the cost of bioethanol production and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.
22 October, 2007
Premiers Office: (07) 3224 4500
Syngenta Contact: Sabine Hoffmann +41 61 323 23 23
QUT Contact: Professor James Dale/Janne Rayner - 3138 2361 or 0407 585 901
Farmacule: Margaret Lyons 0408 880 892 / (07) 3003 1159.
Premier Anna Bligh said the State Government is providing $2 million towards the project, which is so significant one of the world’s biggest agribusinesses, international firm Syngenta, has also come on board.
“At present sugar is extracted from sugarcane and either sold as food or the sugar is turned into ethanol. You produce one or the other,” Ms Bligh said.
“Either way, what’s left over when the sugar is extracted, bagasse, is of little use.
“Previously people have tried to turn bagasse into ethanol but very expensive enzymes have to be added to break it down so that it can ferment. The cost is so high it’s just not worth it.
“However, scientists from Queensland University of Technology are developing sugarcane that makes its own enzymes, dramatically reducing the cost of turning bagasse into ethanol.
“The implications for regional Queensland and the environment are enormous.
“Sugarcane farmers could use the whole crop … and with a second revenue stream from the bagasse the industry would become much stronger.”
The Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry, Desley Boyle, said the boosted production of ethanol could reduce the use of fossil fuel, significantly cutting greenhouse gas.
“If just half the bagasse produced in the industry was converted to ethanol it could produce up to 5% of Australia’s current petrol consumption,” Ms Boyle said.
“The research also has the potential to be transferred to other crops such as sweet sorghum and cassava.
Syngenta is set to partner with QUT researchers and leading Australian agbiotech company, Farmacule BioIndustries, to build a world-class centre for ethanol and biofuels from sugar cane.
The Syngenta Centre for Sugar Cane Biofuel Development will be established at QUT in Brisbane.
“Last year alone Syngenta spent around $900 million on R&D – Queensland will now have access to Syngenta’s unique plant biotech and enzyme technology as we forge ahead with our research efforts in cane biofuels,” Ms Boyle said.
The Queensland Government is providing $2 million directly to help establish the Centre through its National and International Research Alliances Program.
Ms Boyle said Mackay will play a crucial role in this project.
“Once the modified sugarcane is produced it will be processed at the Mackay Renewable Biocommodities Pilot Plant and turned into ethanol.
“The pilot plant will help prove that it works commercially,” Ms Boyle said.
The Queensland Government provided $3.1M through the Innovation Building Fund towards the establishment of the Mackay Renewable Biocommodities Pilot Plant.
Ms Boyle said a world-class team of scientists from Syngenta will now move to Brisbane. They will work with a team of Queensland’s leading biotechnologists from QUT’s Sugar Research Institute led by renowned plant biologist Professor James Dale.
Director of QUT’s Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities, Professor James Dale said the Centre’s primary focus will be on tackling the challenge of modifying the sugarcane so that the bagasse can easily be turned into ethanol. This is method is known as cellulosic bioethanol.
“The exciting thing for us is the potential to substantially decrease the cost of bioethanol production and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.
22 October, 2007
Premiers Office: (07) 3224 4500
Syngenta Contact: Sabine Hoffmann +41 61 323 23 23
QUT Contact: Professor James Dale/Janne Rayner - 3138 2361 or 0407 585 901
Farmacule: Margaret Lyons 0408 880 892 / (07) 3003 1159.