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February 15, 2019 – U.S.-based Mercurius Biorefining is going Down Under. Gladstone, Queensland will be the site for the pilot plant for alternative jet fuel (AJF) and renewable diesel production from agricultural and forestry waste and is set to go ahead after a funding injection from the Queensland Government.
Mercurius Biorefining is developing its Renewable Acid-hydrolysis Condensation Hydrotreating (REACH) process, which converts cellulosic biomass to hydrocarbons in the renewable diesel, aviation, and marine fuel ranges. Valuable by-products include bio-char and a bio-plastic monomer, FDCA.
REACH is a new application of proven technologies that is both feedstock- and product-flexible. Sources of potential feedstock include waste from municipalities and non-food feedstocks like sugarcane waste.
Mercurius President and CEO Karl Seck said the company was attracted to Queensland by the Queensland Government’s Biofutures Acceleration Program in 2017. The Queensland Government has been very proactive and forward-leaning when it comes to developing a bioeconomy in Queensland. Additionally, they have a desire to create regional employment and economic growth opportunities through these types of innovative projects.
Detailed design of the Mercurius pilot biorefinery has commenced and they will begin construction in a few months. The pilot plant will be co-located on the Northern Oil Refinery at Yarwun, with construction scheduled to conclude in late 2019.
To learn more about the Queensland Government’s commitment to biofutures, download the Queensland Biofutures 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan here.
For more information, see the official story from the Queensland Government here.
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