Technoeconomic transitions of the circular economy in engineering biology
Project duration: July 2024 – June 2027
Ethanol biofuel derived from corn maze with beaker and test tubes in laboratory
The challenge
Engineering biology can play a critical role in building a well-structured circular economy. But our understanding of how to fully harness its potential in the bioeconomy remains limited.
For instance, we have yet to explore how engineering biology can support ‘hard-to-abate’ industries – such as aviation – through bioengineered fuels.
Case studies like these, which can show us how to maximise aggregate gains within the bioeconomy, are crucial to the development of a comprehensive circular economy framework.
Existing knowledge gaps regarding biofuels may represent key barriers to their large-scale adoption, and their ability to meet increasing demand.
Our response
This project explores multiple bioengineering pathways to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. Our focus is on biofuels experiencing soaring market demand, such as sustainable aviation fuels.
By evaluating techno-economic processes and key environmental drivers, we aim to identify cost-effective investment opportunities that lower costs while offering more environmentally sustainable solutions for diverse stakeholders.
We conduct an integrated exploration of bioengineering technologies, comparing Australia’s biomanufacturing pathways with global benchmarks. Our researchers analyse multiple factors, including energy efficiency, scalability, and the cost competitiveness across various biomanufacturing pathways.
Beyond providing a comprehensive assessment, our research highlights regional advantages in biofuel development. It also examines synergies between biofuel production and existing renewable energy and negative emissions technologies, including green hydrogen and carbon capture and storage, to further enhance sustainability and economic viability.
Impact
There will be two main outcomes of this project:
- Investigation of the key drivers that influence the emission reduction and the development of markets such as sustainable aviation fuels.
- Development of an integrated techno-sustainability framework for biofuel technologies which can be applied to other regions, sectors and settings.
This project will provide valuable insights into the key factors driving the transition to biofuels such as sustainable aviation fuels in Australia, while highlighting the regional strengths of biomanufacturing in the sustainable aviation fuel industry.
Ultimately, our findings will help position Australia to establish a sustainable and competitive bioeconomy, advancing global efforts in decarbonisation.