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Sugarcane could power more than just mills, with a new report highlighting bioenergy opportunities set to benefit growers and regional communities like the Burdekin. Photo source: Wilmar Sugar Australia
Wilmar Sugar Australia has welcomed the release of a new parliamentary report outlining opportunities to expand bioenergy production within Queensland’s sugar industry.
The findings come from the Queensland Parliament’s Primary Industries and Resources Committee Inquiry into Sugarcane Bioenergy Opportunities, which was released in Mackay earlier this week. The report provides a roadmap for developing bioenergy and biofuels projects, with potential flow-on benefits for regional communities, including those in major cane-growing areas like the Burdekin.
Wilmar said the committee’s recommendations align with several of its key proposals and could help unlock the industry’s bioenergy potential if supported by appropriate government policy.
Among the recommendations backed in the report are co-funding feasibility and final investment decision studies to help build a pipeline of projects, along with strategic investment to support shovel-ready developments capable of attracting private and federal funding.
The committee also highlighted the importance of supporting bagasse-based cogeneration — using sugarcane by-products to generate electricity — through offtake agreements with sugar manufacturers, including fixed or floor pricing arrangements.
In addition, the report calls for advocacy toward a national biofuels mandate, including an ethanol mandate with local content provisions, as well as funding for a pre-feasibility study into a sugar-based biofuel supply chain with the Australian Defence Force to strengthen fuel security.
Wilmar said the next step is for governments to implement the policy settings needed to turn these recommendations into reality, allowing the sugar industry to diversify and play a larger role in Australia’s renewable energy future.
The company also acknowledged industry representatives who contributed to the inquiry, including participants from across Queensland’s sugar manufacturing sector
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