Queensland government gives funds to bioenergy project

A project led by Professor Zhiguo Yuan from the University of Queensland will receive almost AUD$680,000 (€605,000) from the Queensland government to demonstrate a pilot scale zero-energy sewage treatment technology.

The university’s research team will set out to triple the bioenergy from sewage than what is currently available.

The bioenergy recovered is expected to completely offset the energy needs for sewage treatment, creating zero-energy sewage treatment plants. The aim is for the treatment plants to become energy self-sufficient, according to the researchers.

The project’s industry partner Queensland Urban Utilities will host the key pilot plant study at its Luggage Point Innovation Centre. The City of Gold Coast, Wide Bay Water Corporation, the Western Australia Water Corporation and the South Australian Water Corporation are also industry partners, with the South Australian Water Corporation looking to establish a second pilot plant in Adelaide.

Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy Leeanne Enoch said this project promised innovative solutions to some of Queensland’s major environmental challenges. The government is also backing three other environmental projects.

They also hold out the potential of producing hugely important new technologies which will be in high demand,” Enoch said.