In Australia, Australian Sugar Manufacturers (ASM) has submitted a bold vision to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Sugarcane Bioenergy Opportunities in Queensland, calling for a A$40 million investment package to transform the sugar industry into the centerpiece of Australia’s renewable energy and low carbon liquid fuel future.
Representing an industry that supports over 20,000 regional jobs, the ASM outlines how Queensland’s sugar industry can leverage it feedstock (cane juice, molasses, and biomass) to become a national leader in biofuels, biogas, cogeneration, and biomanufacturing — if governments and industry act together.
The submission highlights:
The potential to meet 30% of Australia’s aviation fuel demand using sugar-derived feedstocks. The ability to generate baseload renewable electricity equivalent to 500,000 homes through cogeneration. The opportunity to establish bioenergy precincts across regional Queensland that can pump out biofuels and biogas, leveraging our 4,000 km cane rail network to aggregate agricultural and forestry residues. The potential for new revenue streams for growers through the use of their tops and trash.
