Bioenergy Australia October 2015 Newsletter - Annual Conference - ready, set GO! |
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| | Welcome to the November 2015 Issue of the Bioenergy Australia Newsletter. In this issue, on the eve of the 2015 Conference, we note a potential 'bounce back' and possible 'change of fate' of bioenergy in Australia. |
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Over the last few years we have seen programs close and budgets cut. But could it be that bubbling under the surface, the interest in bioenergy has carried on and yet again, its finding its feet.? Our Australian Conference Speakers will paint a picture of bio-opportunities and successes from which we can all learn. Our international speakers will present on their own successes and illustrate what opportunities could lie ahead for Australia. The opportunities are there and they are being realised across Australia every day.
CEFC Confirms this in its recently released Report, 'The Australian bioenergy and energy from waste market' (and see further below). What's also clear though compared to 16 years ago at our first conference, today, its not just about the bio energy, its about bio materials and bio products too. The beneficial relationship between the two is now clearer than ever. Investment in bioproducts and biomaterials is gathering pace overseas..........but what about Australia? Discuss this and more at Bioenergy Australia 2015. We look forward to seeing you there. |
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| What's in this Issue? Nov 2015 |
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Bioenergy Australia 2015 - keep in touch! |
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Keep up with all that's happening with Bioenergy Australia 2015 - check us out on twitter ! |
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IEA Bioenergy UpdateAustralian bioenergy experts participate in 5 IEA Bioenergy Tasks - find out more on the Bioenergy Australia IEA Bioenergy Task webpages.
Our activities include webinar sessions on current issues affecting bioenergy developments across the world and in Australia.
The Participation Groups for each Task will be meeting at the Conference in side meetings as follows:
IEA Bioenergy Task and Discussion Topics at BA 2015
- Task 37 – Energy from Biogas - Bioenergy Australia’s IEA Bioenergy Task 37 Participation Group will discuss the development of Australia’s first country report and the technical reports for Triennium 2016-2018. The country report presentation delivered at the recent Berlin IEA Task 37 meeting is available at: http://www.bioenergyaustralia.org/data/Task_37_Country_Report_Australia_Oct_15.pdf
- Task 38 – Climate Change Effects of Biomass and Bioenergy Systems - Does bioenergy from native forest biomass contribute to climate change mitigation? Discuss.
- Task 39 – Commercialising Conventional and Advanced Liquid Biofuels from Biomass - Discussion Topic tba.
- Task 42 – Biorefining: Sustainable Processing of Biomass into a Spectrum of Marketable Bio-based Products and Bioenergy - From theory to practice….the deployment of a lignocellulosic biorefinery……trials and tribulations and what the future holds.
- Task 43 - Biomass Feedstocks for Energy Markets - Bioenergy Australia’s IEA Bioenergy Task 43 Participation Group will discuss the report - ‘Mobilizing Sustainable Bioenergy Supply Chains’ - a recently published IEA Bioenergy Report - and the relevance of its key findings to Australia. The report is available at: http://www.ieabioenergy.com/publications/mobilizing-sustainable-bioenergy-supply-chains/
NEW IEA Bioenergy Inter-Task Project Report
Mobilising Sustainable Bioenergy Supply Chains - This new IEA Bioenergy Report is a collaboration between Tasks 37 (Energy from Biogas), 38 (Climate Change Effects of Biomass and Bioenergy Systems), 39 (Commercialising Conventional and Advanced Liquid Biofuels from Biomass), 40 (Sustainable International Bioenergy Trade: Securing Supply and Demand), 42 (Biorefining – Sustainable Processing of Biomass into a Spectrum of Marketable Bio-based Products and Bioenergy), and 43 (Biomass Feedstocks for Energy Markets).
The purpose of the collaboration has been to analyze prospects for large-scale mobilization of major bioenergy resources through five case studies that determine the factors critical to their sustainable mobilization. It can be downloaded from the IEA Bioenergy website.
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What's Bioenergy Australia's involvement in IEA Bioenergy? Find out more on the dedicated IEA Bioenergy Task webpages on the Bioenergy Australia website.
Bioenergy Australia acknowledges the funding from ARENA's Emerging Renewables Program which enables Australia to participate in IEA Bioenergy Tasks. |
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Recent ActivitiesWhat BA has been up to behind the scenes - a snap shotABC Radio Adelaide Interview - Steve Schuck (Bioenergy Australia) and Jurgen Thiele (Calibre Consulting) were interviewed on the 891 ABC Radio Adelaide afternoon show with Sonya Feldhoff. Steve and Jurgen offered some technical insight into the recent United Nations University Study about how much money could be saved if we converted human waste into natural gas. In this link to the recording - Steve can be heard from 1:29:24 – 1:38:38 following the interview with Jurgen.
IEA Bioenergy Meetings - Our National Team Leaders for all the Tasks where Australia has an involvement (Task 37, 38, 39, 42 and 43) were in Berlin for the Annual IEA Bioenergy Conference and Task Meetings in November. Each NTL will give a report back as part of this year's Conference.
Membership Survey - thanks to all who responded to our survey earlier this year. When the Conference is over we will again turn our attention to the issues raised. If you missed the survey please contact co...@bioenergyaustralia.org.
If you would like to contact Steve Schuck, for information or advice, please email c...@bioenergyaustralia.org. |
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National Bio NewsThe wealth of Australian bioenergy news in this issue is a strong indicator that bioenergy is again on the rise in Australia.
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) announced in 26 Nov that it was aiming to accelerate investment in Australia’s bioenergy sector through a $100 million cornerstone commitment to a new equity fund for bioenergy and energy-from-waste - The $200+ million Australian Bioenergy Fund, to be managed by the Foresight Group (Foresight), will support investment in a broad range of projects ranging from $2 million to $100 million. The Australian Bioenergy Fund will invest in a range of technologies including: - energy from waste
- anaerobic digestion
- sustainably sourced biomass-to-energy projects
- landfill gas capture
- wood pelletisation (where forestry plantation waste is converted into pellets that can be burned as fuel), and
- the production of biofuels.
The Australian bioenergy and energy from waste Market Report - This CEFC report has highlighted the opportunity for Australia to close the gap when it comes to generating electricity from bioenergy sources. While OECD countries source 2.4% of their electricity output from bioenergy, this is just 0.9% for Australia, according to the CEFC’s market report: The Australian bioenergy and energy from waste market.
Caltex teams with CQUniversity on testing and may go commercial - In Australia, what started out as a testing bed for biodiesel to train students and get them excited about biofuels may turn into a commercial operation thanks to assistance from Caltex. The company has agreed to sponsor fuel testing for the biodiesel as well as develop blends with CQUniversity. It is also looking to potentially develop a CQUniversityCaltex blend for commercial distribution.
SA Announces Bioenergy Roadmap - The Bio-energy Roadmap is the first stage in further developing South Australia’s bio-energy industry. The bio-energy industry is in its infancy in South Australia but the technologies to convert biomass into electricity are commercially available. Bio-energy production is a feasible solution to offset other energy use. In March 2015, RenewablesSA commissioned Jacobs Group (Australia) to analyse South Australia’s bio-energy potential and produce a report and associated spatial data as a first step towards creating a substantial and sustainable bio-energy industry.
Victoria’s new Energy Technologies Discussion Paper – This new discussion paper is seeking input into the growth opportunities and major impediments to developing Victoria’s new energy technology sector. Feedback will help to inform the development of a New Energy Technologies Strategy. Victoria’s energy sector underpins our economy, secures Victoria’s standard of living and drives its international competitiveness. Victoria has been at the forefront of energy sector development in Australia over the past 20 years, leading electricity market reform. What’s next? For more information go to the Future Industries Fund consultation section of the Business Victoria website. Paper and Submission Portal are here (http://yoursay.business.vic.gov.au/futureindustries/new-energy-technology). Submissions close 5:00pm, Friday 18 December 2015.
Qld biofuels could be as big as LNG, says Premier -Qld already has crops suitable for conversion to biofuel. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has said that the biofuel industry could become a major part of the state’s economy, and as significant as liquid natural gas. Speaking to a meeting of around 300 investors at a north Queensland economic summit in Cairns, the Premier said Queensland could “prosper with biofuel.” “Our prosperity can no longer rely solely on the broad shoulders of our miners and our farmers … change is coming in every single field of endeavour,” she said. “We shouldn’t fear this. This is a time of immense possibilities. We must embrace it.” A new ethanol mandate is being introduced in Queensland vehicle fuels from next year, but the state also has an eye on the potential to supply the US Navy with biofuel in order to meet the “Green Fleet” commitments.
New biofuel crop and new technology could change the biofuels industry in Australia - BioEnergy Plantations Australia and EnerGreen Nutrition Australia on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, are set to experiment with a new biofuel crop and new technology it says can change the biofuels industry in Australia. Elimbah-based, BioEnergy Plantations Australia and EnerGreen Nutrition Australia are using the Pongamia plant as a sustainable biofuel crop and believe its ability to be grown on marginal land could see it become a key crop in the biofuel industry. The business is working with the University of Queensland to assist with the genetic commercialisation of the crop which can produce up to 9.66 tonnes of oil per hectare. A key part of the advantage is a portable processor called a BioCube which can produce up to 400 litres of biofuel per hour on site.
Qld mandate means $564m Pentland biofuel is go - Queensland’s 2 % biofuel mandate, to be introduced from July next year, has kickstarted plans for a $564 million biofuel project in Far North Queensland. The project, at Pentland around 250 kilometres from Townsville, will create around 650jobs with construction expected to begin in June 2016. The project has support from the National Australia Bank, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and private investors and was first proposed in 2004.
Weltec and Aquatec Maxcon to build Australia’s first AD plant - Weltec Biopower, a German bioenergy producer, and Aquatec Maxcon are building a 1MW anaerobic digestion (AD) biogas plant in Melbourne, Australia. Construction of the plant, first of its kind in Australia, began in October and will be finished by the end of 2016. The plant was ordered by water supply and sewage services company Yarra Valley Water, which with the construction is set to become energy self-sufficient at the location. Surplus electricity will be fed into the national grid. The facility will include two stainless steel digesters, which will process 100 tonnes of organic waste a day, more than half of which will be sourced from cafeterias and restaurants. The remaining feedstock will consist of fats and oil, brewery and dairy leftovers, fruit and vegetable waste, and sludge pumped form an adjacent wastewater treatment plant. Weltec says Australia, where a debate about future energy mix and nature conservation is undergoing, is expected to see increased investment in AD projects.
Korean company to invest $77 million in Australian wheat ethanol plant - In Australia, Dongmun Greentec is looking to invest $77 million in a new ethanol plant southwest of Deniliquin that will produce 115 million litres/yr from 300,000 tonnes of locally grown wheat. The project would consume upwards of 870 million litres of water annually, half coming from recycling and the other half from the city's water system.
$1 Million for Leaf Resources - Leaf Resources has raised $1 million through a placement at 13 cents per share to sophisticated investors. The placement was through Lodge Partners. The first tranche of the placement raised $485,794.79 and the second tranche will settle on 11 November. A share purchase plan will enable shareholders to subscribe for up to $15,000 in shares at the same price. The funds are primarily to continue the commercialization of Leaf’s Glycell process for cheaply producing green chemicals and bioplastics from waste biomass.
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Australian focused Articles Pre Conference
The following articles are from some of the speakers at this year's Conference courtesy of our event media partner, ecoGeneration:
Meeting bioenergy challenges head on - Dr Donald Smith and Dr. George Mahmourides, BioFuelNet Canada - Australia is not alone in the challenges it faces in developing biomass for heat, power, transportation fuels and bio-based products, as the world moves towards more sustainable production and a reduced reliance on fossil fuels. Canada and Australia have some interesting commonalities in that both are countries with small populations but large surface areas. The production of biomass feedstock for much of the land areas of both countries is environmentally constrained, by insufficient moisture in the case of Australia and by insufficient heat in the case of Canada.
Australian Biogas Survey – Creating a Picture of Biogas in Australia - Associate Professor Bernadette McCabe, University of Southern Queensland’s National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture’s (NCEA). This new online survey aims to engage plant operators across all biogas sectors to assist in providing an accurate picture of the biogas industry in Australia.
How can Australian biofuel companies better utilise ‘green’ molecules? - Kevin Weiss, Chief Executive, Byogy Renewables, California - Building the biofuels industry isn’t easy, especially in competition with the oil industry. It takes guts, determination, patience, money, and most of all, a respect for fundamentals. There is no shortcut.
New WA biomass unit uses oat husks to reduce emissions - A leading oat miller is using oat husks to power its facility, utilising an organic rankine cycle (ORC) system to generate clean electricity - Italian cleantech company (and Bioenergy Australia member) Turboden has successfully started up a new biomass unit in Wagin, WA, where oat husk is being used to generate heat and power in an oat mill to reduce operating costs and emissions.
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Promoting Australian Bio Research
Bioenergy Australia has 12 Member Universities – their profiles are on the Bioenergy Australia website .............but what are the next generation of Australian bio researchers focussing on?
The Bio Research in Australia page on the Bioenergy Australia website is a new initiative to showcase the topics and successes of today’s bioenergy researchers.
Bioenergy Australia will use the information on these pages to promote the research of these students throughout the year and identify opportunities for presentation slots at our periodic or breakfast meetings.
Are you a supervisor or a researcher? Contact co...@bioenergyaustralia.org to add your details to the page.
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International Bioenergy News
Under the heading of 'International Bioenergy News' we present the following articles for interest.
BiogasEstonia turns to biomethane to fuel public transport - The government of Estonia has passed a bill which will secure a large investment into the Baltic country's biomethane market and infrastructure. In the expansion project's pilot phase, the Estonian state will support the re-commencement of the production of biomethane, building a filling station chain, and use the gas in public transport.
Bioenergy Infrastructure Group announces second Energy from Waste project in Hull, UK - Bioenergy Infrastructure Group ("BIG”), a platform established to invest and operate biomass plants in the UK, is pleased to announce financial close on its second Energy-from-Waste ("EfW”) project, a £200m, 25MW plant, on a 7.5 acre industrial site in Hull, East Yorkshire.
BIG was established by cornerstone investor Infracapital, alongside shareholders Helios, Aurium and Foresight Group [attending Bioenergy Australia 2015], to become the leading power producer in UK biomass. BIG was launched on 1st October, along with the announcement of its first project, the 21.5MW Ince Biopower waste wood to energy plant in Cheshire. The Hull project is indicative of the momentum behind the Group’s strategy to develop a portfolio of biomass assets, with the associated operational and financial synergies therein, establishing BIG as a leading player in the UK biomass industry.
North American zoos capitalize on animal waste turning it into energy - Earlier this year the Detroit Zoo announced a crowdsourcing plan to raise funds to purchase a biogas system to process 400 tons of waste annually into energy. The zoo has partnered with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, who will match the $55,000 the zoo needs.
The Toronto Zoo in Canada also has plans to use animal waste as energy. With more than 5,000 animals on-site, the zoo anticipates it can process about 3,000 tons of animal waste and 14,000 tons of food waste a year from a large Canadian grocery chain, creating 500 kilowatts of generating capacity and about 4 million kilowatts of output.
Liquid BiofuelsNeste and Boeing to lead the industry on commercialization of renewable aviation fuels - Neste, the leading producer of renewable diesel and Boeing, the world's largest aircraft manufacturer will work together to promote and accelerate the commercialization of renewable aviation fuel. The companies will work toward American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) fuel standard approval allowing the commercial use of high freezing point renewable aviation fuel by airlines. The goal is also to gain widespread market acceptance for renewable aviation fuels, and to progress sustainability accreditation efforts.
Study: World biofuels capacity to reach 61 billion gallons annually by 2018 - Global biofuels capacity will reach 61 billion gallons annually by 2018, with ethanol and biodiesel making up 96% of that amount, according to a study performed by Lux Research. The study indicates that ethanol and biodiesel will reach capacities of 40 billion gallons per year and 19 billion gallons per year. North and South America will boast a 64% share of the global capacity, says Lux Research.
BIOFAT project exploring potential of algae-based biofuels - The BIOFAT project is using a pair of pilot-scale algae farming facilities to gauge the potential of algae as a biofuel source. Using information gathered from the Portugal- and Italy-based facilities, project researchers have concluded that algae can produce between 2,000 and 5,000 gallons of biofuels per acre annually.
Wood Fuel / BiomassTurboden to Supply CHP Unit for a Biomass Plant in Turkey - Turboden has agreed to supply a 5.5 Megawatt combined heat and power (CHP) unit to a biomass plant in Bursa, Turkey named Starwood. The Turboden system will supply the plant with 5.5 MW of electricity and 29.5 MW of thermal energy. [Bioenergy Australia Member Turboden is having a great year – see them at Bioenergy Australia 2015!]
6.5MW ORC Turbogenerator to Wood Waste to Energy Plant - Italian Organic Rankine Cycle turbogenerator specialist, Turboden has been awarded a contract to supply a 6.5 MW power only unit to the largest ORC wood waste to energy plant in the UK.
Bioenergy presents a solution to US Disease as California Boosts Bioenergy with Beetle-Kill - To combat the state's dead and dying forest problem, California Gov. Jerry Brown has called for 19 different initiatives, the majority of which are related to getting the materials to bioenergy facilities.
£138m Cramlington biomass project achieves financial close - The £138 million (€187 million) Cramlington biomass power station in Northumberland, UK has successfully reached financial close. The new 27MW biomass combined heat and power (CHP) plant will provide renewable electricity and heat to adjacent pharmaceutical businesses. It will be fuelled with sustainable forestry by-products sourced from the local area.
Veolia wins two contracts to operate biomass plants in Japan - Veolia, through its subsidiary Veolia Japan, has been awarded two contracts to operate two biomass-fired power plants in northern Japan, in partnership with local environmental services company Takeei. These two contracts, both of which have been signed for 20 years, represent total revenue of €90 million for Veolia. The facilities, which are located in the cities of Hirakawa and Hanamaki in the Tohoku region, will produce 100GWh of electricity annually. This is the equivalent consumption of 22,000 households. The feedstock that will be fed into both plants will be wood sourced from the local forestry industry, helping to slash CO2 emissions by more than 40,000 tonnes. Veolia has already won contracts to operate two of the largest biomass power plants in North America and, recently was awarded the largest one in Ireland.
Veolia to operate Bee's biomass power plant at the Port of Ghent - Gas and electricity company Belgian Eco Energy (Bee) has announced that Veolia will be responsible for the operation of its Ghent, Belgium-based biomass-fired power plant when it comes online in 2019. The plant, construction on which is due to begin in the first quarter of 2016, will produce 215MW of renewable electricity from woodchips, making it one of the largest in Europe.
Biorefining / BiomaterialsBiobased polymers too have long lead times - The development of new polymers is a lengthy and highly underestimated process. Development of new polymers, like new drugs, will roughly cost about two decades and $ 1 billion. Therefore, it will take quite some time for new biobased polymers and biobased chemicals to reach their full potential. It is not surprising that the biobased economy develops slowly. It requires a lot of testing of its new products – and overcoming the inevitable mistakes as well.
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Periodic Meetings 2015 - Presentations
Thank you to all who have attended our Periodic Meetings in 2015. The presentations and papers from these meetings are available on this Bioenergy Australia webpage.
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Membership DetailsInterested in Membership of Bioenergy Australia?As a Membership based organisation we need members to continue to thrive. Join us and find out more about bioenergy in Australia. Find details on Membership on who we are and what we do on the Bioenergy Australia web-site. Do you have news to share or promote? Contact us at co...@bioenergyaustralia.org. |
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Training OpportunitiesInterested in what bioenergy sector training is on offer?Pages on the Bioenergy Australia website present known details of training courses both national and international. While its clear that attending international training courses is beyond the reach of most of us, these courses can give us some insight into what other organisations are providing to the market. |
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Disclaimer - The material presented in this newsletter is drawn from third party sources for the interest of our readers. Mention of any companies or services does not necessarily imply endorsement. Readers should make their own inquiries into any claims made in the links. |
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