Pilot Plant , a pilot scale research and development integrated biorefinery at the Racecourse precinct
• The Sarina Sugar Shed tourism facility
Emerging bioproduct feedstocks
• The Thomas Borthwick & Sons abattoir at Bakers Creek with potential tallow and wastewater by-products
• Various prawn and barramundi farms
• Potential horticultural waste from approx . 150 fruit and vegetable producers ( tomatoes , capsicums , mangoes and macadamias ) within the Bowen area
• Potential municipal solid waste and industrial waste
Case study - Racecourse precinct cogeneration
The cogeneration at the Racecourse precinct is an example of a renewable energy initiative by the MIW region ’ s sugar industry .
From the 6 million tonnes of cane that are processed every year in Mackay , 1.8 million tonnes of bagasse fibre are left over from the milling process . The bagasse is burnt and processed into electricity which is used within the precinct , by the mill and sugar refinery , and exported . About 27 megawatts of electricity - a third of Mackay ’ s average needs - is exported to the grid continuously . This earns Mackay Sugar Limited additional revenue as well as savings on electricity .
The bioeconomy is , and will continue to be , a substantial part of the sustainable use of bio-feedstocks in the MIW region . By accelerating the sustainable production and use of ‘ bioprecincts ’, the economic and environmental impacts will be optimised , resulting in more costcompetitive sharing of infrastructure , utilities and services . Using a bioprecinct concept approach may increase the attractiveness , benefits and synergies of co-locating biorefineries into mutually beneficial ecosystems . This approach will facilitate the commercialisation and market deployment of environmentally sound , socially acceptable , and cost-competitive bio-based systems and technologies , and to provide jobs and growth for the local communities .
Figure 1 . MIW region economic map Source : RDA MIW 2016
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