Case study - Sarina Sugar Shed tourism
The Sarina Sugar Shed located at the Field of Dreams Parkland , 35 km south of Mackay , is an award-winning agritourism attraction which features a miniature working sugar mill and small-batch boutique distillery .
It opened in 2006 in a response to tourists wanting to tour the Plane Creek Mill . They offer daily tours showcasing the cutting and crushing process , ending with tastings of their rum and food products .
It has strong relationships with local mills purchasing ethanol and premium sugar cane syrup for the rum production . They also work closely with local farm producers to supply fruit and vegetables for their range of liqueurs , chutneys , sauces and relishes .
The Sarina Sugar Shed is a member of the Greater Whitsunday Food Network , and stocks locally made produce as a distribution point for many home-based businesses .
Sarina Sugar Shed rum . Source : Mackay Regional Council
Biofutures industries are intrinsically connected with the growing demand for food , feed and fibre to meet emerging markets . Co-locating processing facilities is a key factor to make bioproduct production feasible given capital cost constraints in developing new processing facilities . Additionally , locating facilities near to feedstocks will reduce logistical costs . Colocation fosters technological innovation to commercialise bio-based products by linking technology companies with partners with operational expertise . Potential bioprecincts in the MIW region may offer advantages to future projects with quick-to-market site selection , supply chain , feedstock logistics , by-products and value adding opportunities .
IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING THE ENTIRE VALUE CHAIN Primary industries , value-adding processes and manufacturing facilities can be classified based on where they fit in the circular economy value chain , technology lifecycle or commercial readiness :
• Technological implementation status : conventional and advanced feedstocks , bioenergy or biofuels ( 1st , 2nd or 3rd generation manufacturing )
• Type of raw materials used : agriculture operations , whole crop biorefineries , recycling operations , waste management facilities , and aquaculture or marine processors
• Type of main intermediates produced : natural product , recycled products , waste-based by-product , chemical feedstock or value-added final product
• Main type of conversion processes applied : natural , thermochemical , biochemical , mechanical or renewable processes
The key to commercial success for emerging circular economy projects relies on the ability to gain the maximum intrinsic value out of feedstocks , bioproducts , coproducts and waste streams . There are many inter-related value chains that need to be established for the development of successful bioenergy sites , biorefineries or bioindustries . In order to develop example value chain scenarios , it is necessary to make many assumptions about what typical combinations of available technologies , processes and logistics exist to create viable energy and bioproducts that provide a return on investment .
Figure 2 illustrates the overall interrelationship of the various circular economy value chains .
BARRIERS TO DEVELOPMENT ACCELERATION Major barriers exist for the rapid development of demand and end-use markets in Australia , particularly in the area of circular economy long-term projects .
These include the need to develop process pathways that can consistently meet nationwide feedstock specifications and performance standards for by-products . Certification of production processes and quality control systems to be able to blend renewable and recycled feedstocks into current and emerging manufacturing processes , need to be well understood and developed at an industry basis to ensure feed compatibility , quality and performance . Sometimes , there are too few willing retail outlets to ensure new entrant products will compete on a level playing field with conventional materials . Considerable work is needed on demand side marketing and lobbying , to ensure that early entrant circular economy innovators can lock in off-take agreements for their recycled or manufactured products .
A major barrier is that of financial risk and instability in the current world and political environments . The capital costs required for installing biorefineries include testing and developing new feedstocks ; construction of production facilities for fuels , power , and products ; and infrastructure costs . With significant uncertainty remaining in the viability of new feedstocks or conversion technologies , as well as uncertainty in enduse markets , many investors are averse to making the financial investment needed . Specific barriers include the requirement to ensure there is adequate risk management
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL VOL 13 NO 2 2020 31