The potential to establish and operate a bioenergy plant in the Bundaberg Region will be further explored after the State Government invited expressions of interest in its new Waste to Biofutures Fund.
Bundaberg Regional Council will be supporting an application to advance a proposal that’s under active consideration.
It looks at using anaerobic digestion to decompose food waste in a sealed environment. The by-products of this process, which is odour free, are biogas and fertiliser.
The biogas can be used in a generator to make electricity and heat. The fertiliser is a sought-after product containing significant levels of nutrients.
Using food waste of between 25-40 tonnes per week could produce sufficient electricity to power a number of electrical waste recovery trucks for Council and place the region at the forefront of this game-changing new vehicle age.
Mayor Jack Dempsey said bioenergy was an exciting concept with great potential to use waste from the region’s agricultural industries.
“There is an opportunity to support and develop local businesses, in particular Bundaberg’s own Superior Pak which converts internal combustion engine rubbish trucks to electric waste recovery trucks,” Mayor Dempsey said.
“The benefits include value adding and creating a new industry which will boost employment and economic activity.”
The State Government recently established a $5 million Waste to Biofutures Fund.
The fund will help Queensland companies find innovative ways to convert waste into bio-based products – creating investment opportunities and more long-term, high-value jobs across the state.
Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said the aim was to make Queensland a world leader in turning waste into bioenergy, biofuels and bioproducts.
This includes utilising household food and green waste, tyres and plastics, recovered fats and oils from restaurants, and biosolids from sewerage treatment plants.
“It’s all about new jobs, especially in regional Queensland,” the Minister said.
“The fund will support projects that transform carbon-rich waste from agriculture, food processing, construction and industrial processes into bioenergy, biofuels and bioproducts.
“Through this initiative we’ll see innovative waste processing technologies emerge that are scalable and can be deployed statewide, particularly in regional areas of Queensland.”
