Biofutures

Advancing the Biofutures industry in Queensland

Queensland’s growing economy…

• Resources – energy exports• Queensland coal exports 207.35M tonnes,

indicative value A$34.6bn (2016-17)

• Queensland LNG exports 19M tonnes (2016-17)

• By 2020 Australia to eclipse Qatar as world’s largest gas exporter.

• Agriculture• Forecast total value $19.96 billion (2016-17)

• Beef, sugar, horticulture, grains

• Tropical / sub-tropical climate

• Exports to China, Japan, USA, Korea

• Construction, tourism, education

To a clean growth economy…

• Target of 50% renewable energy by 2030

• Emissions reduction of at least 30% by 2030 (over 2005 baseline)

• Zero net emissions by 2050

• Signatory to the Under 2 MOU

• Target 1 million houses with roof top solar by 2020 (3000 MW)

• Currently installed roof top PV - over 1,800 MW

• Queensland’s largest power station

• >420,000 houses with solar PV

The world is changing rapidly…

• Traditional industries that have been the backbone of our state are strong but our economy is changing

• Our Advance Queensland program is providing support to diversify the economy by developing industries with a ‘global growth potential’

• Biofutures is one of these opportunities that will support future economic development, open the door to new investment and grow employment in regional Queensland

Biofutures…

• The development and manufacture of biobased products from sustainable organic and carbon-rich waste streams

• Encompassing a spectrum of innovative scientific and industrial technologies

• A renewable and environmentally beneficial alternative to conventional chemical and fossil fuel refining processes

• Sustainable chemicals, fuels, plastics, cosmetics, detergents and textiles

Biofutures opportunities in Queensland…

New products from crops and crop residues…

Sugarcane Sorghum

WheatCotton

Bananas

Forestry

New crops for marginal lands…

Energy grassesSweet sorghum

Agave Pongamia

Cassava

Algae

Other wastes and residues…

TyresMunicipal wastes

Biosolids Waste water

Animal industry wastes

Food industry wastes

Building on established industries and infrastructure

• 15 trading ports

• 7 bulk shipping terminals

• 6 international airports

• 10,000 km rail freight network

• Extensive electrical and gas

networks

• 10 universities

• 21 sugar mills

• 10 cotton gins

• 75+ wood processing facilities

• > 1 million head cattle in

intensive feedlots

• 30 abattoirs / slaughterhouses

• >200 sewage treatment plants

Biofutures – a priority sector…

Biofutures Cabinet Committee

• Chaired by the Premier and Minister for the Arts, the

Hon Annastacia Palaszczuk MP plus 7 members of

Cabinet

The Department of State Development

• Leads the delivery of economic development

outcomes for Queensland with a vision for

Queensland’s economy to be Australia’s strongest

and most diverse

Biofutures Queensland

• Dedicated sectoral team working across government,

industry and the research sector to drive

development, investment and R&D in Queensland’s

industrial biotechnology and bioproducts sector

Vision, roadmap and action plan

By 2025, Queensland will have a $1

billion sustainable and export-

oriented industrial biotechnology

sector attracting international

investment and creating thousands of

regional, high value and knowledge

intensive jobs

Image: Queensland Biofutures 10-year Roadmap and Action Plan. June 2016

Supportive environment for projects…

• Initial funding to:

• Establish Biofutures Queensland

• Accelerate development of commercial

biorefinery projects in Queensland

• Partner with national and international

companies to scale up and demonstrate

technologies in Queensland

• Assist in progressing projects through feasibility

and due diligence to secure funding from

investors

Projects and partnerships…

+ Mercurius

Biorefining

& Leaf

Resources

Other initiatives…

• Biofuels mandate commenced in Queensland on 1 Jan

2017

• Biomass mapping project underway

• Review of market and policy initiatives for to encourage

higher order re-use of waste

• Streamlining of approvals processes

• Project facilitation and industry attraction

• Fuel quality standards and excise treatment

• Queensland Government procurement

Southern Oil Advanced Biofuel Pilot Plant

• $16 million pilot plant in Gladstone

• 1 million litres of advanced biofuels - heavy transport, aviation and

strategic

• If successful the pilot plant will expand to commercial scale - producing

200 million litres per year of advanced biofuel

• Diverse range of feedstock from bagasse, tyres, horticulture wastes…

Partnership with Amyris

• Partnership between Queensland Government and Amyris was announced in Dec 2016

• Announced as one of the successful participants under the Queensland Biofutures Acceleration Program in June 2017

• Create a southeast hub of sustainable ingredients production for the rapidly-growing personal care sector in Asia

• Intent for a new 23,000 tonne farnesene production facility to be built by 2020 in Queensland

• Produce high-value personal care and nutraceutical actives, as well as farnesene-derivatives

Partnership with US Navy

• In August 2016, the Premier of Queensland

signed a historic Statement of Cooperation with

the US Department of the Navy

• This understanding will see the US Navy

partnering with the Queensland Government to

research, develop, and supply of alternative

fuels

• Queensland Government – US Navy Biofutures

Forum – Dec 2016

• Visit by the Premier to the US 3rd Fleet base in

June 2017

Key messages…

• Australia’s biofuels industry is small but expanding with

commencement of the mandate in Queensland on 1 Jan 2017

• Queensland is well placed to be at the forefront of the global

biorefinery industry

• The Queensland Biofutures 10 Year Roadmap and Action Plan will

help to accelerate the development of biofutures industries in

Queensland

• The Queensland Government is committed to develop profitable

and sustainable industries to diversify Queensland’s economy and

grow regional jobs

• Please come and talk to us about the opportunities for your project

in Queensland

Ian O’HaraQueensland Biofutures Envoy

Queensland Government Department of State Development

ian.ohara@dsd.qld.gov.au