QUEENSLAND PROJECT TO CONVERT WOODY WEEDS INTO RENEWABLE FUEL
FLINDERS SHIRE EXPLORING PROJECT TO CONVERT WOODY WEEDS INTO RENEWABLE FUEL
Frontier Impact Group today announced it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Flinders Shire Council in North Queensland to investigate a project to harvest and convert woody weeds into renewable fuel and other valuable resources.
Sandra Richards, a well-known local from the Townsville region and former landowner in North West Queensland, is working alongside Frontier Impact Group to coordinate biomass supplies across North Queensland.
Mrs Richards said the innovative project would “put Hughenden, Flinders Shire and Townsville on the map for other local governments in Queensland and across Australia because many were concerned about similar issues with woody weeds and seeking a circular economy solution for biomass waste streams.”
The Study investigates the viability of a project to harvest woody weeds as a feedstock for two possible commercial-scale renewable biorefineries. It is important to have the renewable biorefineries closely located to the biomass source to be able to reduce the cost of transporting biomass as this is crucial for it viability.
Flinders Shire CEO, Mr Hari Boppudi said he was thrilled that Flinders Shire Council had signed the MOU to conduct a feasibility study on such an innovative project because landholders across the region had struggled with thousands of hectares of good grazing land infested with woody weeds, such as Chinee Apple, Prickly Acacia, and Leucaena.
“Now we may have a technology-solution that converts this biomass into a 100% drop-in renewable diesel and other valuable by-products,” Mr Boppudi said.
“Although the project produces sustainable fuels, at its core it’s a woody weed removal and a land restoration project,” he said.
The renewable biorefineries use a high-temperature pyrolysis process to convert a minimum of 55,000 dry tonnes of woody biomass into at least 18 million litres of Renuleum, a 100% drop-in renewable diesel for use in local vehicles on farms, trucks and mines, as well as 8,000 tonnes of biochar for land restoration. Once the feasibility study is complete, there is the potential of being live in early 2025. The two projects could create over 200 jobs and over $400 million in capital investment in the region.
“The benefit of Renuleum, our renewable diesel, being “100% drop-in” is that, unlike oil-based biodiesel, it can be used as a direct replacement in trucks, tractors or other transportation without the need for blending or capital expenditure to upgrade or modify vehicles,” she said.
“The feasibility study will hopefully pave the way for renewable fuels to be produced locally at commercial scale in Hughenden, Townsville and other parts of Tropical North Queensland,” she said.
Meetings with Local Landholders
Jennifer Lauber Patterson and Sandra Richards from Frontier Impact Group will be holding a meeting with landholders from across the North Queensland region who have land infested by woody weeds or wish to grow energy crops as a potential feedstock.
Media and Local Government representatives along with interested locals are encouraged to attend the meetings:
1. Townsville 22 November, 9am – Wonderland Station
2. Charters Towers 22 November, 3pm – Department of Primary Industries
3. Hughenden 23 November, 9.30am – Diggers Entertainment Hall
4. Woodstock 23 November, 5pm – Woodstock Sports and Recreation Club
5. Ayr 24 November, 10am – Anzac Memorial Club
Further Information
Further information regarding the process, the meetings, and the local benefits are contained in the PDF below.
About Frontier Impact Group
Frontier Impact Group is a climate-solutions advisory and investment firm deploying specialist expertise at scale to drive financially viable, planet-friendly solutions and accelerate the global race to Net Zero.
As pioneers in climate solutions, we are providing cutting-edge technology, unique insights, and new business models to assist in the energy transition to net carbon zero including a focus on moving to a circular economy that aims to build resilience in regional communities.
Media Contact
For interviews contact Dean Troth, M 0432 267 184
