Australian Researchers Aim to Develop Sugarcane Waste-to-Energy Technology

The Queensland University of Technology researchers are developing new technologies to eliminate the use of fossil fuels in the sugar industry.

While the sugar industry produces large amounts of bioenergy from sugarcane bagasse with surplus electricity, significant amounts of fossil-based fuels are still used in sugarcane production and in factory operations. Associate Professor Ian O'Hara from QUT's Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities said, their project would produce new technologies to turn sugarcane trash into renewable fuels for use in sugarcane farming, processing and transportation.

The project seeks to develop technologies that convert the sugarcane residues to renewable fuels suitable for farming use and transportation. Sugarcane trash and surplus bagasse can be biodigested to produce biogas which can then be upgraded to biomethane to replace diesel.

If successful, the project could reduce the carbon footprint of raw sugar production, as well as increase the income from bioenergy.