New online platform maps Australia’s renewable energy hotspots

Businesses and investors now have access to a data-rich platform which maps out Australia’s biomass hotspots. Biomass is dead organic matter and can be found in rubbish tips, farms and forest waste, and can be used to generate bioenergy, including electricity, heat and transport fuels.

The Australian Renewable Energy Mapping Infrastructure (AREMI) platform collates data from AgriFutures Australia’s Australian Biomass and Bioenergy Assessment (ABBA) project, and maps available biomass resources across Australia.

AgriFutures Australia ABBA Project Manager, Julie Bird, said AREMI creates better links between potential biomass suppliers, such as farmers and foresters, and end users.

“The platform is supporting businesses to get more value from organic material, often destined for landfill, by improving information, access and quality,” said Ms Bird.

The AREMI platform helps researchers, policy makers and bioenergy project investors make decisions on renewable energy development opportunities. In Queensland, Southern Oil used the AREMI data to identify 12 primary processing sites for biomass, which was then transported to their bioenergy refinery in Gladstone.

“Examples such as these show enthusiasm for establishing a bioenergy industry and how collation of new datasets can support new bioenergy initiatives,” said Ms Bird.

“A lack of reliable information on biomass availability poses a roadblock to the development of bioenergy products across Australia. The AREMI platform offers a free, interactive tool to map biomass resources which can be used to develop regional solutions.”

AgriFutures Australia’s involvement in biomass and bioenergy aims to raise awareness in rural industries about opportunities to engage in the bioenergy supply chain as feedstock producers.

ABBA is an important project helping to identify biomass locations and success stories which will be fundamental to shaping Australia’s future energy economy and driving investment in renewables innovation.

Learn more about the Australian Renewable Energy Mapping Infrastructure (AREMI) platform: arena.gov.au/projects/aremi-project/

The Australian Biomass and Bioenergy Assessment (ABBA) is managed by AgriFutures Australia and funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).