What’s happening
QUT has launched an $18 million upgrade to its Mackay-based QUT Pioneer BioPilot, making it Australia’s leading pilot-scale fermentation facility.
With funding from the Australian and Queensland governments and in association with Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA), the upgraded facility will empower companies to work with QUT researchers to create new food products and bioproducts. These will provide dietary alternatives and sustainable solutions to agricultural challenges.
Why it matters
Senator Corinne Mulholland said, “This investment positions Australia as a serious player in the global bioeconomy and, importantly, it will make Mackay one of the driving forces for our future economy.”
She noted the project supports the transition to Net Zero by 2050. “The Albanese Government has been clear that this transition is not just an investment in our planet, but an investment in the jobs, skills and technology of tomorrow. These facilities are a clear demonstration of that.”
Local impact
Assistant Minister for Primary Industry Development, Water and Western Queensland Sean Dillon said, “The upgraded MRBPP gives local researchers and industry the tools to turn biomass into high-value products, right here in Mackay. It’s a powerful demonstration of how regional Queensland is open for business, strongly appealing to companies looking to use sugar feedstocks for their products.”
Professor Ian O’Hara, Deputy Dean of QUT’s Faculty of Engineering and QUT Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy researcher, highlighted the role of the fermentation bioreactors. “This facility will enable innovative companies to take their ideas beyond the lab and into commercial reality, building Queensland’s reputation as a regional leader in biomanufacturing,” he said.
By the numbers
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An $18 million refurbishment has transformed the Mackay-based facility into Australia’s leading pilot-scale fermentation hub.
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For 15 years, the facility, formerly known as the Mackay Renewable Biocommodities Pilot Plant (MRBPP), has supported industry with bio-innovation.
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Queensland, home to 95 per cent of Australia’s cane industry, provides the key feedstocks driving this area of innovation.
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The global bioeconomy is currently valued at US$4 trillion and is projected to grow to US$30 trillion by 2050, equal to one-third of the global economy.
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A $5.5 million project with Eclipse Ingredients is underway to commercialise human lactoferrin, a protein with immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory properties.
Zoom in
Professor O’Hara said sugarcane is a key driver of the process. Precision fermentation enables sugars to be converted into food ingredients and products in brewery-style tanks, improving sustainability and consumer choice.
FaBA Director Dr Chris Downs said, “The QUT Pioneer BioPilot provides key infrastructure, allowing companies to take new innovations from the lab to pilot-scale. FaBA is investing in precision fermentation so that companies of all sizes can develop new products and ingredients, in turn helping grow Australia’s food and beverage manufacturing sector.”
QUT researchers are partnering with Eclipse Ingredients in a $5.5 million project to commercialise human lactoferrin, a protein with immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory properties. Eclipse Ingredients CEO Siobhan Coster said, “The partnership with QUT is crucial because it bridges the gap between breakthrough science and real-world impact. It allows us to scale our product and process from lab to commercial readiness right here in Queensland, Australia.”
Zoom out
Professor O’Hara said the BioPilot has played a crucial role for industry over the past 15 years, translating research into real-world applications such as converting biomass into biofuels, green chemicals and bioproducts. He added, “QUT is leading regional innovation across Queensland, empowering communities and driving sustainable economic growth. Real-world impact is at the heart of QUT’s research commitment, where knowledge and innovation tackle global challenges and deliver locally grounded solutions.”
What to look for next?
The upgraded QUT Pioneer BioPilot will continue to expand opportunities in areas such as biofuels, new food products, and health innovations, while positioning Mackay and Queensland as leaders in the Asia-Pacific biomanufacturing sector.
