Queensland's ethanol research coup
The world’s largest agribusiness company, Swiss-based Syngenta, has chosen Queensland University of Technology (QUT) as its international partner in the commercial development of a sugar cane-based ethanol industry.
Syngenta searched the world for the ideal partner and chose QUT because of its outstanding scientific research in this field, because it wanted a partner from an English-speaking country and because the Queensland Government is deeply committed to establishing a viable ethanol industry.
It’s the first time in the world Syngenta has established a partnership of this type with an academic body and, while financial details are largely confidential, it’s a major coup for QUT.
The partnership includes local biotech start-up Farmacule Bioindustries, which is partly owned by QUT, and QUT’s recently formed commercialisation arm, qutbluebox.
QUT’s Professor James Dale has pioneered ground-breaking genetic technology which converts sugar cane waste into sugars that produce ethanol without compromising the cane’s sugar potential.
"No-one else in the world has been able to do this cost effectively," said Mr Michael Finney (pictured), chief executive of qutbluebox.
"This enables the simultaneous production of both ethanol and sugar, for the process leaves the plant’s sucrose untouched and available for the consumer market if desired."
Mr Finney said Syngenta also brought a range of novel technologies to the venture which complemented each other and had never before been combined.
Research and development at QUT is being undertaken by the Syngenta Centre for Sugarcane Biofuel Development, to which the company has seconded staff from overseas offices to work alongside the university’s existing ethanol team.
Various technologies will be tested at a pilot biorefineries plant being constructed at Mackay, which has received substantial funding from the Queensland and federal governments.
The first $10 million stage will be completed in 12 to 18 months, to be followed by a more expensive second stage.
QUT manages the project and the facility will be available to other researchers, including Syngenta.
"There’s nothing else quite like it," said Mr Finney, "Everything is movable and adaptable to enable researchers to optimise processes. This is a very substantial commitment by all concerned."
Story: Don Kirkwood
Last reviewed 16 June 2008
