Final-year chemical engineering students at The University of Queensland are investigating how sugarcane can be used as a clean energy source to create hydrogen.
Professor Damien Batstone said bagasse and other agricultural residues were an abundant resource that could generate “green” or carbon-negative hydrogen at scale.
“One hundred and fifty students in 36 teams are analysing both thermal gasification, and the more cutting-edge ‘supercritical hydrothermal gasification’ method,” Professor Batstone said.
“The new approach looks promising, with the cost as low as one third that of the current options.”
The process uses waste biomass – crushed sugarcane stalks and leaf – to produce hydrogen for under $3 per kilogram.
Professor Batstone (right) said any carbon dioxide produced was captured, making the process carbon negative.
“The technology can be used with any waste biomass, including green waste and municipal waste streams, and the students’ economic models and design processes show it can be put into practise immediately,” he said.
“Adopting this new hydrogen production approach could have a tremendous impact on the sugarcane industry as farmers seek alternative uses for their crops and mill infrastructure.
“This offers an alternative pathway with potential for higher profits for canegrowers who may have considered exiting the industry, as well as job opportunities for regional areas and clear environmental benefits.
“The process allows sugarcane to be used in ethanol and plastic production, while fully utilising the biomass residues.”
Professor Batstone said agricultural residues were heated to between 400 and 1000 degrees Celsius to create “syngas”, then a series of conversion and separation processes generated pure hydrogen.
“It can be done at atmospheric pressure or at very high pressure in the presence of water,” he said.
“Gasification has been widely applied to coal processing but has not been applied to hydrogen production from biomass at large scale.”
Professor Batstone said the project required students to engage intensively with renewable energy and energy transformation, to give them an understanding of the industry’s key challenges at the outset of their careers.
“The federal government’s 2019 National Hydrogen Strategy identified hydrogen as a critically important future source of energy,” he said.
“It flagged creating hydrogen using fossil fuels at $3 per kilogram with significant carbon emissions, and non-fossil-based renewable electricity at significantly higher prices between $6 and $11 per kilogram.
“Industry professionals and UQ researchers are guiding the students in this emerging and vital field, and their work could have a real benefit for industry and the environment.”
Chemical and environmental engineering student Mr Kailin Graham said the project offered insight into real-life engineering work.
“Previous courses taught chemical engineering principles; this project required us to apply these as we would as engineers in the workforce,” he said.
“We engaged with the sugar industry and technology specialists, and it’s exciting to know that our work will have direct relevance to Australian industry.”
Professor Batstone said a position paper compiled from the teams’ findings would be made available to farmers and sugar companies for potential application in their businesses.
The Bingera sugar mill near Bundaberg will not crush again as the mill operator Bundaberg Sugar Limited (BSL) says it will close the site this year.
Chief executive Guy Basile said BSL was streamlining its operation to just its Millaquin mill in Bundaberg.
“One thing has become clear; the Bundaberg region tonnage figures of the past years, including the 2020 crush, cannot justify BSL running two mills in the region,” he said.
“Millaquin is more than capable, thanks to our ongoing investments in the future of BSL.
“At the current crop size, BSL mills are operating at around only half capacity.”
Bingera mill had one of the worst seasons in its history, only crushing 450,000 tonnes of sugar cane.
The total BSL crush this year was just over 1 million tonnes, which was down from 1.8 million in 2016.
Consultations with workers
BSL management has started consultations with employees and unions across its whole operation.
As for growers, not much will change according to Canegrowers Bundaberg chair Allan Dingle.
“From what I understand the mode of transport for all growers to Millaquin mill will be the same as what it was previously,” he said.
“If you’re on a railway line service you’ll still be on exactly the same bin delivery system.
“Bundaberg Sugar has said all their contracts will be honoured.”
Mr Dingle said farmers still need more information from BSL.
“The only point, probably, that’s going to be an issue will be season length,” he said.
Mr Dingle said the news was difficult news for the industry.
“It’s really sad that that’s happened,” he said.
“That mill’s been operational for well over a hundred years.
“It seems to be a sign of the times in our local area; for whatever reason, the [other] crops are moving in.
“There’s quite a few of those growers that are still there that are committed to growing cane and will continue to grow cane.”
Queensland Sugar Limited held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Brisbane this morning, with those in attendance joined by participants dialling in via video conference for the first time.
QSL Chairman Guy Cowan said the inaugural hybrid AGM format was reflective of the changed world ushered in by COVID-19.
“For an industry familiar with dramatic fluctuations and unexpected developments, it must be said that the past financial year certainly set a new standard for curve balls,” he said.
Mr Cowan said QSL had moved quickly as the COVID-19 pandemic emerged to introduce measures to protect their logistics and sales activities, and used their strong lines of credit to maintain continuity of payment for their Miller and Grower members throughout this period of heightened uncertainty.
“Throughout the global health and economic crisis which has dominated 2020, QSL has provided a continuity of service that has been integral to the Queensland sugar industry’s successful operations,” he said.
Mr Cowan said that while COVID-19 had shone a light on the strengths and value of QSL, it had also served as a reminder that QSL was more than just a sugar marketing and logistics company.
“QSL’s constitution states that our principal object is to promote the development of the Queensland sugar industry, and we are always looking for new ways we can do this,” he said.
Mr Cowan said current industry challenges, such as declining productivity, reducing land under cane and aging farmers, had caused QSL to look at how they may be able to assist the cane farming sector by attracting new and continued investment.
“These kinds of activities are not new, and we are currently evaluating a number of existing initiatives in other agricultural sectors, with the intent to apply these learnings where we can in order to identify and develop projects that attract investment to the Queensland sugar industry,” he said.
“While the challenges and opportunities vary in each region, our efforts are driven by a common requirement that any potential project must be done in a way that protects our pool returns and the important value we deliver to industry through this core business function. We look forward to working with our members and other stakeholders during the year ahead to identify new ways to add value to the industry we serve.”
Mr Cowan also used his Chairman’s Address to announce his retirement from the QSL Board at the end of the coming three-year term.
“My time on this Board has been both personally gratifying and enjoyable, and I genuinely look forward to working with my fellow directors and the wider QSL team to ensure a successful transition before finishing my time on the Board as of 31 December 2023.”
Key highlights from the 2019/2020 Financial Year include:
QSL Marketing
Remained the largest marketer of Queensland sugar
QSL-managed ICE 11 pools outperformed the market average by $14.64 per tonne IPS
The QSL Direct platform was extended to Far Northern Milling growers
QSL Operations
Extended the Strategic Operating Agreement with Sugar Terminals Limited (STL)
Received 3.62 million tonnes at STL’s six sugar terminals, unloading 43,190 trucks and 44,601 train wagons
Loaded 113 sugar ships and delivered 98% of shipments in full, on time and within specification
QSL Corporate Services
Renewed its finance facilities
Launched a new price alert service on the QSL App
For further details regarding the 2020 QSL AGM, please click on the links below:
Queensland Sugar Limited’s Chief Operating Officer, Robert Hines, will retire from the business as of Friday 30 October 2020.
QSL Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Greg Beashel said Mr Hines had been with QSL for nearly eight years, including four years as Chief Financial Officer, and had played an integral role in the company’s evolution.
“During his time with QSL, Robert has been instrumental in negotiating the contractual framework that currently underpins our marketing business, as well as the development of our Grower Services and QSL Direct teams, and the delivery of the strong banking and pricing services enjoyed by much of Queensland’s sugar industry,” Mr Beashel said.
“Robert’s considerable financial expertise, wise counsel and positive attitude will be sincerely missed by the QSL team and we wish him all the best for his retirement from executive life.”
To support the business needs following Mr Hines’s departure, the following changes will take effect from 1 November 2020:
QSL’s current Executive Manager Marketing and Risk, Mark Hampson, will assume the newly created role of General Manager Marketing and oversee QSL’s Marketing, Logistics, Risk Management, Treasury, Grower Services and Supply Systems teams.
QSL Manager of Marketing and Logistics, Andrew Phipps, will lead the Marketing and Logistics Team as the Senior Manager, Marketing and Logistics.
QSL’s Trading Manager Matthew Page will lead the Treasury and Risk Team as Senior Manager, Treasury and Risk.
Destructive agricultural pest fall armyworm is continuing its march south and has been detected for the first time in northern NSW.
A single fall armyworm moth was trapped near a sorghum crop between Moree and Boggabilla during routine surveillance by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Local Land Services.
NSW Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall urged farmers in the district to remain vigilant.
“This is the first known detection of the pest in NSW and its early detection will help minimise the impacts of fall armyworm,” Mr Marshall said.
“Farmers should monitor crops, particularly sorghum and maize, regularly for signs of fall armyworm damage, egg masses and larvae.
“Control weeds and volunteer plants in fallow paddocks, along fence lines and around buildings to reduce the number of pest hosts.”
Fall armyworm was first detected in Australia on two Torres Strait islands in January, before reaching the mainland at Bamaga in February.
Native to Central America, it can fly up to 500 kilometres and has spread quickly around the world.
The exotic pest has the potential to wipe out agricultural crops, and at the larval stage feeds on more than 350 plant species including cultivated grasses such as maize, rice, sorghum, sugarcane and wheat, as well as fruit and vegetable and cotton crops.
Queensland Sugar Limited will hold its 2020 Annual General Meeting (AGM) at 10am on Friday 23 October 2020 at the Christie Conference Centre, 320 Adelaide Street, Brisbane.
QSL Chairman Guy Cowan and QSL Managing Director and CEO Greg Beashel will both address the meeting.
Due to social distancing requirements, individuals wishing to attend this meeting are asked to RSVP to Alana Lucht by emailing Alana.Lucht@qsl.com.au or calling 3004 4400 by Friday 16 October 2020.
Please click below to access the key meeting documents:
