A federal funding injection into a western Queensland project that aims to turn prickly acacia into a carbon-neutral energy source has been announced.
Katter's Australian Party leader Rob Katter has welcomed the news of a $5m grant from the federal government for Green Day Energy, which he said would bring a ground-breaking renewable energy plant in Richmond to life.
The company plans to build a $30 million plant in Richmond that will turn the weed into a torrefied product.
Founder Brad Carswell said the $5 million was from the federal Securing Raw Materials Program, and would help build a mobile torrefaction plant and conduct a pilot program as a proof of concept for commercialisation.
The torrefied product was ideal for use in co-generation power plants and suitable to export to Japan, the United Kingdom and throughout Europe.
The current worldwide demand for carbon-neutral product is 15 million tonnes per year, predicted to rise to 50 million tonnes within a decade, with torrefied products boasting an impressive 24GJ of energy per tonne.
Mr Carswell said Queensland could be front and centre of the forecast surge in demand, and thanked the federal government for identifying the prickly acacia issue and allocating funds.
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Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
