Bioenergy outlook for Australia - for sugar not so sweet (Reprinted from Australian Sugarcane, vol 7, 2004)

摘要

The Australian sugar industry has enormous potential for cogeneration and ethanol production. Sadly, the potential has not been realized in commercial applications to anywhere near the extent that had been hoped for or projected. This article summarizes the potential for bioenergy production from the sugar industry, traces the recent history of cogeneration developments and explores the factors that have contributed to the current low cogeneration capacity in the industry. It concludes that ultimately the Federal Government has to decide conclusively what its expectations are for bioenergy in the Australian energy environment. The all-pervasive absence of long-term market certainty is having a debilitating impact on the industry's appetite for bioenergy.