Australia’s bioenergy and agriculture industries are set to benefit from the development of a new national database of biomass resources, with support from the Turnbull Government.
Bioenergy and biofuels are created from biomass ‘feedstock’ such as waste vegetable oil and woodchips. Waste biomass left over from farming and agricultural processes is ideal for bioenergy feedstock, which is a high-value use for this material.
The Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation (RIRDC), with $3 million funding through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), is investing $6.2 million to make it easier to develop biomass generation and biofuel projects in Australia.
This central, national source of data will provide reliable information to Australia’s growing bioenergy and biofuel industry.
“This initiative will provide a one-stop-shop for bioenergy project developers to find out where untapped biomass resources are located, supporting industry growth and allowing new projects to get off the ground more quickly and easily,” Minister Hunt said.
“The project will connect farmers with the renewable energy industry allowing them to work together and find mutually beneficial arrangements.”
Agriculture and Water Resources Minister Barnaby Joyce said: “Our agriculture industry produces millions of tonnes of plant waste every year, and this has the potential to be turned into clean power and fuel, while providing an extra revenue source for farmers”.
RIRDC will work with states and territories to collect data on the location, volumes and availability of biomass for inclusion on the ARENA-supported Australian Renewable Energy Mapping Infrastructure (AREMI) platform.
RIRDC was established by the Australian Government to work with industry to invest in research and development for a more profitable, sustainable and dynamic rural sector.
(ENDS)