Australian $60 million timber processing project to supply wood waste for ethanol

January 30, 2008

In Australia, Willmott Forests won a contract from the New South Wales government to expand a $60 million softwood processing plant at Bombala. Plant owners have indicated that they plant to produce ethanol, or supply waste timber biomass for ethanol production, as part of the vision for expansion project.

One of the first projects in Australia to produce cellulosic ethanol is Willmott Forests’ Ethtec, which commenced production on December 17 at its pilot plant near Maclean in northern New South Wales. The company’s process uses hydrolysis to convert cellulose to sugars, which can then be fermented into ethanol.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd pledged $15 million toward second-generation biofuel plants in the recent Australian election campaign, with a goal of making next-generation ethanol commercially viable by 2017.
Yahoo conducted an online poll late last year regarding Australian policy on climate change. 31 percent said that the country should put the climate first and the economy second; 53 percent the country should balance climate change action with the needs of the economy, and 10 percent said the country should put the economy first and climate second. 6 percent said the country should take no action.

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Written by Jim Lane · Filed Under International, Producer News