University of Southern Queensland PhD student, Peter Harris, believes the future of beef production could be stabilised if meat processors install biogas plant facilities.
Mr Harris said green technology such as biogas plants can help fight climate change and assist in reducing the negative effect on weather patterns.
Winning the inaugural Wiley Better Future award at the university’s Pitch Club Challenge during Research Week with his pitch for Australia’s beef industry to produce more bioenergy was a great surprise for Mr Harris.
Even more thrilling is the fact that his work is becoming the backbone for reducing the carbon footprint of abattoirs throughout Queensland.
Turning an abattoir’s waste water into valuable commodities such as bioenergy was an attractive thought for Oakey Beef Exports and led to a partnership forming between USQ’s Centre for Engineering in Agriculture and the abattoir.
Mr Harris said the abattoir’s willingness to invest in worthwhile ideas has immediately benefited the company and the wider community.
“They are aiming for 6000 cubic metres of methane production per day out of their biogas plant. That’s enough to offset their energy costs by 40 per cent so they’ll be saving about $1.25 million per year,” Mr Harris said.
“That’s really an added bonus to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions to the equivalent of taking 2700 cars off the road.”
Oakey Beef Exports general manager Pat Gleeson said the abattoir has always been open to innovative processes.
“There’s more than 10 years of traceability that shows our desire to reduce carbon emissions is second to none,” Mr Gleeson said.
“We’re proceeding upward with clean energy systems because we can increase production the more efficient we become.
“It’s a stepping stone to create more business which in turn creates more jobs.”
Things are also looking up for commercial beef producers with the possibility of encouraging a more reliable weather pattern.
“Producers are finding it harder and harder to make a living and maybe we can help out by reducing the effects on weather to produce a more stable climate,” Mr Harris said.
Mr Gleeson said Oakey Beef Exports is following this direction with an immediate focus on getting their biogas plant up to 100pc capacity.
“We’re always working towards the latest state of the art technologies to reduce our reliance on energy and help this industry move forward.”
The Pitch Club Challenge also highlighted some of the other fascinating research the University of Southern Queensland is involved in.
Taking out the PhD category was Sarah Peters with her presentation on telling community stories through theatre. While Dr Aastha Malhotra and Dr Joanna Turner won the categories for academic staff.