The $60-million MSF Sugar facility could generate 130 regional jobs. “Powered by an onsite bagasse-fueled 24 MW Green Power station, the combined biorefinery complex is expected to produce 110,000 tonnes of raw sugar, 200,000 MW of green electricity for the grid and 55 million liters of ethanol biofuel annually,” says Minister for State Development Anthony Lynham.
Additionally, MSF will trial large-scale blue agave cultivation as an alternative feedstock to sugarcane outside the growing season, potentially allowing the biorefinery to operate 12 months of the year. “Blue agave grows well in dry land conditions with minimum irrigation required, so this is good news for local growers in terms of future income growth and diversification potential,” Dr. Lynham says.
The unspecified funds are in addition to a grant awarded by the Biofutures Commercialisation Program last month that will assist MSF Sugar to demonstrate agave as a suitable feedstock.