Bioenergy Future Leader Award - Lisa Randone
Lisa Randone is a key team member at Bioenergy Australia and was independently submitted for this award.
In a short time Lisa has positioned herself as an industry advocate and expert.
Her responsibilities have been extensive including a large number of submissions to state and federal governments as well as running the bioenergy working groups.
Anyone who has worked with Lisa can attest to her commitment and enthusiastic manner. Her contributions to the industry have been remarkable - and there is no doubt she will be a force in leading the industry into the modern bioeconomy.
Bioenergy Community Leadership Award - Mt Alexander Sustainability Group
Mt Alexander Sustainability group has been recognised for the significant collaborative effort that they have driven with a clear vision from the beginning.
The project embraces the principles of a circular economy, is highly innovative, delivers no waste streams and delivers a significant benefit to the local community. The jury would like to commend Mt Alexander Sustainability Group on their commitment to leadership and innovation.
Bioenergy Research Leadership Award - Microbiogen
After more than a decade of R+D, Microbiogen has developed an all new series of superior and more robust yeast biocatalysts for the global ethanol market.
They have been working together with Novozymes to incorporate the ability to express their world leading enzymes and taking responsibility for market development, and now the first commercial products have now been released by Novozymes and are producing biofuels today at ever increasing levels.
Boasting 25% of US bioethanol production is now using Microbiogen developed yeast. This is a fantastic story from a dedicated team of researchers committed to delivering commercial outcomes.
Bioenergy Technology Innovation Award - Blantyre Farms
This award for technology innovation using covered anaerobic ponds reflects a truly closed loop approach to waste management and is fittingly presented to Blantyre Farms. This efficient and cost-effective technology is an on-farm biogas production system which offsets Blantyre’s on-farm energy costs.
Manure effluent from Blantyre’s piggery flows into a covered anaerobic pond, the biogas is captured and refined into methane which runs the generators to provide electricity and heating for their use onsite. Not only is Blantyre producing energy and reducing emissions, the solid effluent, after the harvest of the biogas, is spread on their paddocks as a complete carbon based fertiliser. This reduces the purchase of synthetic fertiliser, and is used to grow grain which is fed back to the pigs.
Bioenergy International Award - Licella
The jury would like to recognise the significant achievements of Licella and their global leadership as an Australian company.
Licella's patented upgrading platform, the Catalytic Hydrothermal Reactor (or Cat-HTR), chemically transforms biomass wastes and residues to biocrude, able to be refined to biofuels and biochemicals.
Licella has developed the Cat-HTR technology over 12 years, with three scale-ups of its pilot plant on the NSW Central Coast. Alongside their commercial partners, Canfor Pulp in Canada, Armstrong Energy in the UK and iQ Renew in Australia, they are building the world’s first commercial scale hydrothermal upgrading plants.
Bioenergy Corporate Leadership Award - Scania
Scania Australia has made significant strides to deliver economically viable, alternative and renewable fuel solutions for the benefits of its customers.
To support this, Scania Australia has signed MOUs with Wilmar Bioethanol Australia, Ecotech Biodiesel, the ENGV Group, Just Biodiesel and Refuelling Solutions, as the first steps in their programme to import, distribute, sell, service and maintain vehicles that run on alternative fuels, or hybrids that run on alternative fuels as well.
The jury commend Scania’s leadership in Australia and commitment to drive cleaner transport solutions across the board.
Bioenergy Government Leadership Award - Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)
Bioenergy Australia proudly presents the Bioenergy Government Leadership Award to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.
This is in recognition of the leadership position that ARENA has taken in helping to accelerate the uptake of bioenergy, energy from waste and biofuels in Australia. ARENA has supported biofuel, biomass, biogas, biomethane projects including: The Kwinana Energy from Waste project, Southern Oil and Ethtec's advanced biofuel facilities, a biomass boiler at MSM Milling, ReNu's biogas facility at the Southern Meats abattoir in Goulburn, Logan City Council's wastewater treatment gasification plant.
ARENA has underpinned the development of a range of first of a kind technologies and business models into Australia.
Bioenergy Innovation Small Scale Award - Sydney Water
This award is very much a reflection of how impressed the Judges were by the ongoing commitment that has been shown by Sydney Water for their investment into the research and technology needed to extract maximum value from their wastewater treatment facilities.
As Australia’s largest water utility, Sydney Water has realised both environmental and economic benefits of innovation and has led research into the impacts of new organic wastes with different chemical compositions.
Their project has delivered research outcomes that will be valuable for the entire industry.
Bioenergy Innovation Large Scale Award - Virgin Australia
This award recognises the commitment, passion and extensive collaboration of the Virgin Australia Sustainable Aviation Fuel Trials.
This project highlights a true collaboration between many parties for the introduction of bio-based renewable jet fuel using the refuelling infrastructure at Brisbane Airport.
This is a world first for the regular use of biojet fuel from sugar and saw a commitment from Virgin to drive leadership and education.
We look forward to seeing Virgin’s continued leadership in this space.
Full list of winners:
BIOENERGY FUTURE LEADER AWARD
Winner: Lisa Randone, Bioenergy Australia
Commendation: David Rochaya, Biopower Solutions
BIOENERGY COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD
Winner: Mt Alexander Sustainability Group
Commendation: Darryl Outhwaite, WA Biofuels
BIOENERGY RESEARCH LEADERSHIP AWARD
Winner: Microbiogen
Commendation: Curtin University, Professor Chun-Zhu Li
BIOENERGY TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AWARD
Winner: Blantyre Farms
Commendation: Microbiogen
Commendation: Boral Timber
BIOENERGY INTERNATIONAL AWARD
Winner: Licella
Commendation: Microbiogen
Commendation: Calix Limited
BIOENERGY CORPORATE LEADERSHIP AWARD
Winner: Scania
Commendation: Blantyre Farms
BIOENERGY GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP AWARD
Winner: Australian Renewable Energy Agency
BIOENERGY SMALL SCALE AWARD
Winner: Sydney Water
Commendation: Sprocket Roaster
BIOENERGY LARGE SCALE AWARD
Winner: Virgin Australia
Commendation: Southern Oil Refining