Dr Robert Speight speaks to sugarcane industry’s bright biofuture

Earlier this year, Dr Robert Speight – Director of the Advanced Engineering Biology Future Science Platform (AEB FSP) – took part in the Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists’ (ASSCT) annual conference.  

His well-attended presentation honed in on the transformative potential of engineering biology in industries such as sugarcane. He also put forward that now is the time for a comprehensive plan to push forward biotechnology and biomanufacturing development in Australia.  

“The sugarcane industry has an exciting part to play in Australia’s biofuture,” Robert said. “What I do, with my team, as an engineering biologist underpins biofutures; we look to overcome barriers to engineering biology realising its value to society, environments and industry – and that’s why I was excited to talk at ASSCT.” 

Sugarcane has an important role to play in biomanufacturing. Sugar could be an important feedstock for many bio-based chemicals, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). And with the recently release Sugar Plus roadmap, the sugarcane industry is poised poised to play a key role in the building of biorefineries. As well as growing Australia’s bioeconomy, biomanufacturing will also create job opportunities in construction, engineering and logistics.  

At the conference, Robert spoke with Sugar Research Australia’s quarterly publication Cane Matters about the sugarcane industry’s biofuture. Read the full article here.