The federal government has announced a new facility will lead the way in the nation’s bid to produce biofuels for heavy vehicles.
The announcement to provide $18 million of funding from the federal and Queensland governments, as well as the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), will see a new site in Mackay drive innovation in Queensland’s biofuel sector.
The upgraded facility, located near the Pioneer Valley, is set to advance Queensland’s ambition to become an Asia-Pacific biomanufacturing hub.
This will empower innovative companies to work with QUT researchers to create new types of food and other bioproducts, offering dietary alternatives and sustainable solutions to agricultural challenges.
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A key feature of the cutting-edge facility is its fermentation bioreactors, which allows companies to fast-track product development in the food and beverage sector. This facility will enable innovative companies to take their ideas beyond the lab and into commercial reality, building Queensland’s reputation as a regional leader in biomanufacturing.
“The Pioneer BioPilot is about bringing together world-class research and innovation, which are key strengths that can underpin Australia’s bioeconomy development,” federal transport minister Catherine King says.
“The Australian government is proud to have helped bring this leading pilot-scale fermentation facility to life, which will put Mackay and Queensland front and centre of the Asia-Pacific’s biomanufacturing landscape.”
Queensland deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie says the state government is continuing to invest in the state’s biofuels industry.
“This $18 million upgrade will support Queensland businesses to bring new ideas to market and strengthen the state’s agricultural and manufacturing sectors,” Bleijie says.
QUT centre for agriculture and the bioeconomy researcher Professor Ian O’Hara says the pilot is pioneering research in biomanufacturing.
“This unlocks opportunities in areas such as biofuels and precision fermentation, enhancing economic impact and sustainability,” O’Hara says.
“This upgrade puts Queensland, which has 95 per cent of Australia’s sugarcane industry, at the heart of this area of innovation and opportunity.
“No one else in Australia can provide the capability we are offering Australian industries through the QUT Pioneer BioPilot.”
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