Queensland University of Technology has kicked off an A$18m ($11.8m) expansion of its Pioneer BioPilot facility in Mackay.
The upgraded site is designed to help industry partners co-develop novel food ingredients and bioproducts with QUT researchers, including sustainable solutions for the agricultural sector.
The project is being financed by both the Australian and Queensland governments, alongside support from the Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA).
Queensland Senator Corinne Mulholland said: “This investment positions Australia as a serious player in the global bioeconomy and, importantly, it will make Mackay one of the driving forces for our future economy.
“Like many, I am passionate about ensuring that Queensland’s regional centres see the economic benefits of transitioning to Net Zero by 2050.”
According to the World Bioeconomy Forum, as cited by QUT, the global bioeconomy is worth about $4tn today and could swell to roughly $30tn by 2050, around a third of worldwide GDP.
The site, formerly known as the Mackay Renewable Biocommodities Pilot Plant, has supported the sector for the past 15 years by scaling research into the conversion of biomass into fuels, chemicals, and other biobased products.
QUT Faculty of Engineering Deputy Dean and researcher at the QUT Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy Professor Ian O’Hara said: “The QUT Pioneer BioPilot is pioneering research and innovation in biomanufacturing, working with government and industry to position Queensland as a globally connected innovation hub.
“This facility will enable innovative companies to take their ideas beyond the lab and into commercial reality, building Queensland’s reputation as a regional leader in biomanufacturing.”
QUT researchers are using the facility in a A$5.5m project with Eclipse Ingredients and other partners to commercialise human lactoferrin, a protein in breastmilk and immune cells with immune and iron-related properties.
FaBA director Dr Chris Downs said: “The QUT Pioneer BioPilot provides key infrastructure, allowing companies to take new innovations from the lab to pilot-scale.
“FaBA is investing in precision fermentation so that companies of all sizes can develop new products and ingredients, in turn helping grow Australia’s food and beverage manufacturing sector.”
The facility is intended to support companies working with QUT researchers. Credit: Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
