Biorefinery to be built in Queensland, Australia

A biorefinery pilot plant in Gladstone, Queensland has been given the go-ahead after a funding injection from the Palaszczuk Government.

The biorefinery will be the trail site for jet fuel and diesel production from agricultural and forestry waste. Construction is due to begin this month and will be carried out by US company, Mercurius.

Governor Annastacia Palaszczuk states that the government has been at the forefront of developing a bio-industry in Queensland.

In a Queensland government release, Palaszczuk said, “New industries mean new jobs and our focus is clearly on jobs. That’s why we’re supporting companies like Mercurius. “I met with Mercurius during a trade mission to the US in 2017 and they made it clear they recognised Queensland was committed to developing a biofuels industry.”

Mercurius technology is being used in hopes that it will, bring Queensland a step closer to achieving a $1 billion bio futures industry by 2026.”

Minister for state development, manufacturing, infrastructure and planning Cameron Dick said, “The planned biorefinery pilot represents a huge vote of confidence in the biofutures credentials of Queensland, particularly in the Gladstone region.”

Dick added, “During its three-month operational period, the pilot biorefinery will provide work for around 30 people. Once the pilot is successfully delivered, Mercurius then plans to build a larger demonstration plant, which would scale up production of biofuels and bio-chemicals.”

Mercurius president and CEO Karl Seck said that the company was attracted to Queensland by the Queensland Government’s Biofutures Acceleration Program in 2017.

“Through that program, we successfully completed our scientific validation of the company’s biotechnology last year, which was conducted at QUT,” Mr Seck said.

“Mercurius is excited to continue working with the Queensland Government, and we look forward to driving this project forward, for the benefit of Queensland’s regional communities.”