A GROUNDBREAKING project led by the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) is aiming to fast-track Australia’s transition to net-zero emissions by transforming dairy farm waste and duckweed into scalable, sustainable biofuels.
Backed by nearly $200,000 from the Federal Government’s Australia’s Economic Accelerator Ignite program, the research will develop technology to convert nutrients in dairy manure into high-yield biomass using duckweed – one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth – as a renewable fuel feedstock.
Dr Peter Harris and Professor Bernadette McCabe from UniSQ’s Centre for Agricultural Engineering are heading the project in collaboration with plant science expert Professor Jenny Mortimer from the University of Adelaide and precision manufacturing partner David Halliday from Active Research.
“This research addresses one of the major barriers to achieving net-zero – the urgent need for sustainable, cost-effective biofuel feedstocks at scale,” Dr Harris said. “By growing duckweed in specially designed chambers using nutrients from dairy waste, we can produce more than 100 tonnes of biomass per hectare annually – significantly more than traditional crops and without threatening food supply.”
Professor McCabe said the project exemplified UniSQ’s research mission to support agriculture, the environment and regional growth through innovation.
“This is circular economy thinking in action,” she said. “We’re turning farm waste into energy – improving environmental outcomes while creating economic value for rural communities.”
The initiative promises potential breakthroughs in hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation and freight, while also supporting on-farm renewable energy, improved wastewater management, and long-term sustainability for dairy operations.
Dr Harris, who has spent over a decade working on bioenergy and resource recycling, said the urgency was clear.
“With 2030 emissions targets just five years away, the pressure is on,” he said. “Scalable, low-cost biofuel alternatives are essential if we’re going to avoid rising costs for industry and consumers – especially in transport-heavy sectors like aviation.”
