A $425 million proposal for a sugar/ethanol/power generation facility at Ingham in northern Queensland has been given the green light by the Hinchinbrook Shire Council and the Queensland Government.

 

Under an Infrastructure Agreement with the council, North Queensland Bio-Energy Corporation Limited undertake local Council road upgrades and maintenance as a result of increased local road usage that will occur as a result of the development.

 

The plant will produce about 335,000 tonnes of sugar a year and generate between 80 to 85 megawatts of green power. Benefits of the project identified by the company include:

  • Its potential, as the first multi-functional sugar/ethanol/power generation factory of its kind in Australia, to revolutionise and significantly change the Australian Sugar Industry by using the latest "state of the art" technology, already proven overseas in Brazil, India, Malaysia, Vietnam and North America, to foster diversification
  • Provision of significant additional income streams for cane farmers, especially in times of low world sugar prices
  • Significant social and economic benefits for the Herbert River District from the creation of 220-250 full time jobs when fully operational, and the employment of 250-300 workers during the 20-24 month construction phase
  • The potential to provide full time employment for the youth of the district, reversing a current trend which is predicted to result in the percentage of population over age 65 in the district reaching 40%, or double the State average, by 2031.