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Biomass Technologies News
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November 2011
More developments in the Australian sugar industry
Here at Biomass Technologies we are 100% focused on getting our technology to the stage of full commercialisation. And it is an interesting time in the Australian sugar industry for us to be doing that!
All around us we have seen massive change sweep the business. Sucrogen is now fully owned by Wilmar. Maryborough Sugar has seen a significant stake pass to the Thailand processor Mitr Phol. Tully Mill has been sold to Cofco and Mackay Sugar's bid for Tully failed. Proserpine Mill has been the subject of two failed buy out attempts by Sucrogen. Mackay Sugar has maintained that it will now push to merge with Proserpine. No doubt more change will yet occur.
What we do know is this: the Australian sugar industry is changing and indeed needs to change if it is to survive and prosper into the future. One of our goals is to be a part of that change. Our technology can be a huge value-add in the current chain of production. We believe that in the 2012 season you will see that demonstrated with abundant clarity. Keep your eyes on this website for updates.
October 2011
BT obtains second full Australian patent
As our website tells you we obtained our first patent in Australia in 1997. After much developmental work we made our international patent applications (through the Patent Cooperation Treaty system established in many countries) in October 2006. A number of those patents have now been awarded in full (China, USA, South Africa) and we are pleased to announce that the Australian Patent Office has now awarded us our second Australian patent as part of the PCT system.
Our pilot plant will be the subject of extensive testing in November this year with the emphasis of that testing being on the refinement of our two streams of by-products (pure juice and clean fibre). Keep your eye on this website for more detail of the outcome of that testing.
July 2011
Biomass Succeeds in Gaining Patent in China!!
As the people who follow our company and our website know we have had some recent success in obtaining full patents for our biomass processing technology in South Africa and the USA. We can now report that our company has been awarded a full patent in China. That is great news for us as we have maintained our belief that the sugar industry in China will soon become one of that country's major agricultural assets (if it isn't already). For us to gain recognition of our unique technology in that setting is hugely important. Stay tuned as we are completing our validation testing of the BT pilot plant and the results will be available over the next few weeks.
June 2011
Movement in the Australian Sugar Industry
As we mentioned in an earlier News item there has been some considerable commercial upheaval recently in the Australian sugar industry. In no great order of priority we have seen:
- The Wilmar International buy out of Sucrogen from CSR.
- The Mitr Phol buy out of GPG's stake in Maryborough Sugar.
- The varying bids for Tully Mill from (amongst others) COFCO from China and Bunge from the USA.
- The announcement of a bid for Proserpine Mill from Sucrogen.
Growers, millers and processors alike are all seeing change the like of which has been unknown in the Australian sugar industry for many years.
Into this comes Biomass Technologies with its newly launched biomass processor the BT pilot plant. We have been experiencing a level of enquiry about our technology both here in Australia and from overseas that is hugely exciting to us. All we can say in this era of rolling changes is watch this space!
May 2011
The BT pilot plant is ready to go! The IT platform has been settled and we propose to start operations straight away. The next few weeks will be spent doing some third party validation-based testing and we will publish those results when they are to hand. However our main goals over the next two months will be to run the BT pilot plant, produce some excellent pure, undiluted juice and clean, dry fibre and show the pilot plant off to all who are interested to visit. It is a huge time for us so if you want to see our patented biomass processing technology in full scale action get in touch and arrange an appointment. We are excited to show it to you.
April 2011
Biomass Technologies Pty. Ltd. is absolutely delighted to announce that the company has been awarded a full patent by the Patent Office of the USA!!! As most people who follow our company are aware, Biomass Technologies has a current Australian patent and applications in various jurisdictions around the globe under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). We have succeeded in gaining a full patent in South Africa and the USA has only just been awarded. Other jurisdictions such as China, Brazil, Japan and the EEC are in the examination phase now so you can expect more news shortly.
March 2011
The BT pilot plant is almost ready to commence operating on a full time basis. We are currently fine tuning the IT platform that enables the plant to work on full automation with only one or two operators on hand to actually run the machine. Excitement is mounting as growers become aware that the plant is ready to start. We expect operations to commence some time in June 2011 and this will be the first time in Australia (or anywhere else for that matter) that sugar cane has been processed into commercial quantities of juice and fibre outside a mill. We are poised for what we believe will be a defining moment in the industry.
30 April 2010 BT Pilot Plant Arrives!
It is a proud moment for us all at Biomass Technologies. Our BT pilot plant, the first production model biomass processor built under our patent, is a reality. Compact but high tech, the BT pilot plant has been constructed specifically as a small scale plant to process at a targetted rate of 10 tonnes feed per hour.
The BT pilot plant engages not only innovative engineering but also cutting edge IT.
Its design captures:
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High quality fibre and juice separation. |
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Energy efficiency. |
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Minimum labour requirements. |
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Ease of operation. |
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Central IT control. |
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Compact size. |
See photos of the BT pilot plant on the right. We have also posted some technical drawings below.
What we really want is for you to come and see the BT pilot plant. Biomass processing has arrived as a viable and real alternative to traditional crop processing. You can view that reality by contacting us and making an appointment for a demonstration.
And yes! We are officially excited.
Previous News Items
BT Pilot Plant Construction
Set To Complete 1 March 2010
Construction of the BT pilot plant is set to finish on 1 March this year (a bit less than 4 weeks from time of writing).
Obviously it is an exciting time for all of us at Biomass Technologies.
Shown below are some detailed diagrams from the construction drawings. We thought this would help our customers see how things are developing.
Keep an eye on this website for the official launch announcement.
Sugar Industry Developments
Who ever said that the sugar industry lacked excitement? On Wednesday 3 February 2010 the Federal Court effectively blocked the CSR Sugar demerger by preventing a shareholders meeting being held to consider the proposal. The decision was based on submissions made by a number of parties (including the NSW State Government) who voiced concern about the effect the demerger might have on provisioning for asbestos claimants in the future.
At this stage the fate of Sucrogen (the new name of the proposed demerged sugar business) is uncertain. CSR may appeal the decision or it may look at other avenues for its sugar business such as a sale on the open market.
Here at BT we are very focused on delivering the technology that we believe will change the way in which sugar cane is processed. As we say on our Home Page we see our technology as a turning point for Australian agriculture. Keep watching us!
International Patent application made October 2006.
Biomass Technologies was granted its first patent in Australia in 1997. Following the developmental work done over the next nine years the company was able to make applications for a new patent in various jurisdictions around the world as part of the Patent Cooperation Treaty system. The 2006 application is now moving to completion in the various countries where we believe the technology can have a strong future.
Home Hill Growers Group joins joint venture December 2007.
BT has been fortunate to have the support of cane growers from Home Hill in the Burdekin. We first met in early 2001 through an introduction from a Federal MP and they have been part of our development since that time. At the end of 2007 it was proposed that the growers and ourselves enter a joint venture and from that agreement the formal structure of BT as it is today was created. You can read more about that structure in the About The Company tab.
BT pilot plant starts construction June 2009.
Over the years we have made three test units. The latest is a small one (1) tonne model that is located on the farm of one of our directors. In June 2009 we secured funding to enable our first commercial unit (known as the BT pilot plant) to be designed, engineered and constructed. The pilot plant is being constructed on the Sunshine Coast. The pilot plant will demonstrate the commerciality of biomass processing and will take its place in the Burdekin when it is completed.
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