An alliance of government and private sector organisations united from 24–25 November 2011 at the Novotel Twin Waters Resort on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, to address the factors crucial to the development of bioenergy in Australia.
The conference program included a technical tour of a number of biomass and bioenergy facilities. The tour took delegates on a visit to a bioheat processing plant at Nestle, a bioelectricity plant at Suncoast Gold Macadamia/AGL, which uses waste macadamia nut shells for energy generation, and a Pongamia plantation developing an alternative feedstock for biofuels’ production.
The conference was held in conjunction with two International Energy Agency (IEA) Bioenergy meetings; an Executive Committee meeting and a Task 42 Biorefineries:
Co-production of fuels, chemicals, power and materials from biomass meeting. The former provided workshops on bioenergy and sustainability, and the latter focused on international biorefinery developments.
A short welcome was presented by Griff Rose, Chairperson of Bioenergy Australia, and Stephen Schuck, Bioenergy Australia Manager, followed by the official opening by Minister for Agriculture, Food and Regional Economies Tim Mulherin.
Professor Michael Borowitzka of the Algae Research Centre at Murdoch University – a keynote speaker at the conference – led a workshop on algal biotechnology, sharing his personal experiences and case studies of the process of producing biofuels from microalgae grown in saline water. His workshop also included a compelling extended panel discussion, entitled ‘Raising the standing of bioenergy in the energy mix – international perspectives.’
Professor Jack Saddler of the University of British Columbia returned to the Bioenergy Australia conference this year to deliver a presentation on ‘Developing Tomorrow’s Biofuels,’ commencing the profiling of the IEA bioenergy session.
Other keynote speakers included Fuels and Uranium Branch General Manager Michael Sheldrick, who discussed government policies and programs related to bioenergy; Global Bioenergy Partnership Secretariat Dr Jonathan Reeves, who ran a workshop on the environmental sustainability of biomass; and CSIRO Systems Analyst Dr Deborah O’Connell, who gave an overview of sustainability issues and biomass production.
