We managed to hold our fourth workshop for the Wastes to Profits project on 17th March 2021 in Brisbane. The workshop was held in-person and virtually with a record number of participants from our partners. Over 80 individuals engaged in the workshop, with at least 50 in person, many commenting how it was one of the first events that they have been able to attend in person since COVID-19.
We are so very grateful for our partners efforts in attending the event, and special thanks goes out to those who managed to get approvals for travel interstate from Victoria and Canberra.
The workshop focused on the researchers providing five minute updates on the resource recovery technologies being developed in the Wastes to Profits project. Including show & tell, showcasing pilot & demonstration opportunities and ample time for panel sessions where the red meat, dairy, pork and municipal industry participants were able to provide their advice, support and feedback to improve the likelihood of technology adoption and impact through value creation.
The workshop was held at a critical time for the project with most activities progressing pilot & demonstration trials of their technologies over the next 9-12 months. These trials will help progress the technologies toward commercialisation with a variety of pilot, factory and field trials to be undertaken.
In this newsletter there are three videos from the workshop that provide a snap shot of the advances being made in the Wastes to Profits project on Advanced Anaerobic Digestion, Animal Feeds and Diesel from organic solid wastes. We encourage you to watch the videos and stay in touch.
We also ask you to express your interest in attending future webinars or events run by the Wastes to Profits team in 2021. We welcome your interest, involvement and feedback. Please make sure to visit the website, sign up to the newsletter and encourage your colleagues to do the same. If you need more information or want to become actively involved in the project, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Advanced Anaerobic Digestion
Dr Lisa Bai from the University of Queensland provides an update on the achievements made with advanced anaerobic digestion for organic solid wastes from red meat processing sector. Exciting developments have improved anaerobic digestion performance through pretreatment, next steps include pilot demonstration in real world conditions.
Watch the video here.
Aquaculture trial update
Dr Tim Huelsen from the University of Queensland provides an update on the recent prawn aquaculture trial at the Wastes to Profits Workshop 2021.
The aquaculture trial explored the possibility of replacing fishmeal with purple phototrophic bacteria, a high level summary of the promising results are presented in the video.
Watch the video here.
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Diesel from organic solid wastes
Dr Lalehvash Moghaddam from the Queensland University of Technology provides an update on the research teams progress towards producing drop in diesel fuel from solid organic wastes.
The next stage will be to partner with potential technology providers to drive this technologies adoption in the sector. Watch the video here.
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In the news…
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Protein 21 – Dalby, Queensland
AMPC supported Prof Bernadette McCabe from University of Southern Queensland to showcase the Wastes to Profits ADAdvisor tool at the Protein 21 conference in Dalby, hosted by TSBE Food Leaders Australia. The event was featured in Queensland Country Life and you can read about it here. Keep an eye out for Associate Prof Mark Harrison in the article image gallery (no.11). |
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Wastes to Profit: a circular economy approach to value addition in livestock industries
Animal Production Science Journal was recently published and featured the Wastes to Profit article which is available to read through open access here. The open access journal was part of a new agreement between QUT and CSIRO publishing. |
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The green machine: commercializing microalgae products
In February 2021, the AOCS INFORM magazine featured an article on commercialising microalgae products here. Featuring Wastes to Profits activity co-lead Associate Professor Navid Moheimani director of Murdoch University, Algae Research and Development Center in Perth, Australia. |
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Dairy Australia launches Climate Change Strategy
Dairy Australia has launched a Climate Change Strategy that articulates its climate commitment, investment intent and priorities across research, development and extension (RD&E) for the first time. The Climate Change Strategy is available to download at www.dairyaustralia.com.au/climate.
Read the Dairy Australia media release here. |
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Environmental performance on the right track
The Australian Red Meat Processing Sector Environmental Performance Review is conducted every five years. The 2020 review jointly funded by Australian Meat Processor Corporation (AMPC) and Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) was recently released. For more information please visit the AMPC website here. |
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Other potential events of interest
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Beef Australia 2021
2 – 8 May 2021 Rockhampton, Queensland
The Australian beef industry assembles every three years in Rockhampton to compete, showcase, learn about and celebrate industry innovations and achievements. Click here to learn more.
Beef Australia’s vision: To be a world class organisation that promotes and advances a sustainable beef industry. |
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ozwater’21 – Reimagining our Water Future
4-6 May 2021 Adelaide Convention Centre, South Australia
Over 130 technical and 80 pitch presentations across three days, interactive Workshop and Panel sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. Each morning Keynote Speakers will be invited from both inside and outside of the water sector to present. Click here to learn more. |
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Sustainability Research & Innovation Congress 2021
12-15 June 2021 virtual and onsite in Brisbane, Australia
The Sustainability Research & Innovation Congress 2021 (SRI2021) is the world’s first transdisciplinary gathering in sustainability – it will be a space of fierce advocacy for sustainability scholarship, innovation, collaboration and action. Click here to learn more. |
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The Wastes to Profits Project Overview
The Wastes to Profits project aims to capture a potential market opportunity for the livestock sector in excess of AUD$100 million per year by converting wastes into valuable products.
The Wastes to Profits project brings together stakeholders from across Australia’s animal industries with technology, research and development providers. The project delivers advanced technologies to convert wastes from livestock production and municipal water treatment into fertilisers, feeds, chemicals, and energy products for use in agriculture. The overall aim of the project is to improve productivity and enhance profitability for primary producers.
The project focuses on the following 4 areas;
- Area 1: Assessing waste streams from the livestock sector, developing business models and pathways to adoption to promote commercial application of project outcomes;
- Area 2: Developing technologies for improved management of wastes with a key focus on anaerobic digestion as a platform for energy production from waste;
- Area 3: Developing technologies for the production of nutritionally-advanced feeds; and
- Area 4: Developing technologies for production of fertilisers, chemicals, plastics, and energy products.
We welcome your interest, involvement and feedback throughout this four year project from 2018 to 2021. Please make sure to visit the website, sign up to the newsletter and encourage your colleagues to do the same. If you need more information or want to become actively involved in the project, please do not hesitate to contact us. |
Chair, Wastes to Profits Steering Committee
Doug McNicholl
Program Manager, Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA)
e: dmcnicholl@mla.com.au
p: 0439 275 794 |
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Chief Investigator, Wastes to Profits
Prof Ian O’Hara
Principal Research Fellow, Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
e: i.ohara@qut.edu.au
p: (07) 3138 1551 |
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Project Manager, Wastes to Profits
Lisa van den Berg
Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
e: lisa.vandenberg@qut.edu.au
p: (07) 3138 1415 |
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