The conference was held in Melbourne with the theme of ‘Sustainable Bioenergy Opportunities for Australia’. The conference was organised by Bioenergy Australia, a government industry forum that aims to foster the development of biomass for energy, liquid fuels and other value added bio-based products. Bioenergy Australia is managed by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC).
The welcome session was delivered by RIRDC General Manager New Rural Industries and Bioenergy Australia Chair Dr Roslyn Prinsley. Dr Prinsley said the agriculture and forestry sectors and the wider public would benefit from a bioenergy sector.
“In effect, trees and other plants are batteries, taking the energy from sunlight and storing it in chemical form that can be used to generate electricity, heat and liquid fuels. In addition to providing an energy source that can replace fossil fuels, the tree crop also acts as a reservoir for carbon, helping to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“Combining bioenergy production — for instance, using mallee trees as a fuel source - with carbon credits can lead to a lower overall cost of bioenergy production,” Dr Prinsley said.
“A bioenergy industry will be good for Australia, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, cutting greenhouse gases, creating new jobs, particularly in regional areas, and developing technology and services that have export potential.”
Philip Peck, from the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics, Lund University Sweden – a member of the European Bioenergy Network of Excellence – delivered the keynote address. Professor Peck discussed working towards large scale commercial bioenergy, based on experiences in Europe.
A discussion paper titled ‘carbon trading and renewable energy’ on carbon credits and bioenergy developments for forestry and agriculture was also released at the Conference.
The paper shows that the development of biomass energy crops in agriculture and forestry can be a win-win for the environment and primary producers, but that a low-carbon price under the proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) would not be enough to stimulate large scale investment.
It argues that targeted policy for development of the renewable energy sector will be needed in parallel to the CPRS, at least until the carbon price reaches $65 per tonne. This is consistent with current policy – the Federal Government has indicated that the national Renewable Energy Target (RET) scheme and the CPRS will run in parallel, at least until the CPRS market is mature enough to drive investment in renewable energy.
The conference program covered policies and programs, projects and project development case studies and emerging opportunities. The conference considered many facets of bioenergy, including some 60 presentations on:
Connell and Wagner’s Vicky Webb spoke to delegates about firing biomass and processing waste fuel in boilers, concentrating on New Zealand case studies. CSR’s Paul Trayner delivered a presentation on the importance of bagasse storage and handling for the operation of the Pioneer Mill cogeneration facility. Mr Trayner said that after the cogeneration plant is commissioned fuel handling accounts for 85 per cent of operating costs.
Day three of the conference was a technical tour around Melbourne to visit a waste water treatment plant where biogas is being used to generate power, a mobile small scale biodigester, a 2.2 megawatt equivalent fluidised bed combustor that will be fuelled by wood biomass waste materials, a small scale wood fired boiler at a sawmill at Yarra Junction, and a small scale downdraft gasifier.
Dr Prinsley said “Bioenergy Australia 2008 was a great success, with more than 300 delegates from around the country coming to hear more about the prospects for this exciting new industry.
“One of the most promising presentations was on a project considering new feedstocks for biofuels made from Australian native plants. I’ve been impressed with the number of smart, forward-thinking companies and investors who are engaging with our best scientists to be at the forefront of bioenergy technology development.”
