THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY :
THE BIOPRECINCT APPROACH AND SHOWCASE ON THE MACKAY ISAAC WHITSUNDAY REGION
Stephen Cutting and Kate Large , Aurecon
INTRODUCTION The aim of this article is to provide an overview of sustainable economic development strategies across the Mackay Isaac Whitsunday ( MIW ) region in Queensland . We discuss the opportunities that can take advantage of the region ’ s natural resources through a circular economy approach . The focus of this article is to stress the need to consider all elements in the value chains that are needed to ensure sustainable bioindustries can be established for many years .
We discuss potential bioprocessing pathways and key considerations that an economic development team should consider when contending with the circular economy approach . This article will provide examples of successful bioindustries within the MIW region including sugar cane production enabling biomass to electricity generation , rum and tourism . This article also discusses emerging economic development opportunities .
REGIONAL CIRCULAR ECONOMIES Considerable work has been completed globally by a wide cross-section of industry stakeholders , technology providers , industry facilitators and project proponents , to define circular economy pathways for proven and emerging industries . Commercialising and realising circular economy needs a solid understanding of the core market and cost drivers , including agricultural systems , processes , technologies , logistics , off-take agreements , energy , distribution methods and equipment design .
Community integrated facilities can include the sustainable processes of converting renewable feedstocks into a spectrum of marketable products and energy . A circular economy strategy needs to cover the development of a facility , a process , a plant , or even a cluster of facilities . An integrated ‘ bioprecinct ’ could include the integral upstream , midstream , and downstream processing of renewable and recyclable feedstocks into a range of platforms and products . The products can be both intermediate and final products , and include food , feed , materials , and chemicals ; whereas energy includes fuels , power , and heat .
MIW REGION ’ S BIO-INDUSTRIES The MIW region ’ s key economic drivers are mining , tourism , beef , sugar and horticulture . The region is also home to a thriving Mining Equipment , Technology and Services ( METS ) sector and two State Development Areas - Galilee Basin and Abbot Point .
The MIW region has a heritage sugar industry complemented with emerging bioproduct feedstocks :
Heritage sugar industry
• Five sugar mills : º three Mackay sugar mills operated at Racecourse , Farleigh and Marian º two Wilmar owned mills at Proserpine and Plane Creek
• Wilmar BioEthanol in Sarina , Australia ’ s largest producer of molasses-based ethanol , liquid fertilizers and animal feeds
• Sugar Australia ’ s White Sugar Refinery co-located at the Racecourse precinct
• Mackay Renewable Biocommodities
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