Transitioning the world’s biggest companies to net zero

A male scientist in lab coat and goggles inspects a glass full of red liquid.

Image: Biosustainability Hub director Professor Esteban Marcellin.

26 August 2024

A new $60-million Biosustainability Hub at The University of Queensland will use synthetic biology to help the world’s biggest businesses transition to net zero.

Funded by government, industry and UQ, the Biosustainability Hub aims to be a one-stop-shop for big companies to transform their production practices and create carbon neutral economically viable products and materials.

Hub director, Professor Esteban Marcellin from UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, said the facility is the first of its kind in Australia and co-locates research groups and industry who share a vision to transition society to net zero.

“The Hub brings together cutting-edge research projects and some of the world’s biggest companies to find solutions to challenges like climate change, biodiversity, mining sustainability and future food production,” Professor Marcellin said.

“We will be using the process of synthetic biology which develops new materials, fuels, foods, chemicals or medicines from waste by using biological processes.

“By changing production practices from those dependent on fossil fuels to biomanufacturing, we are changing the game for our planet.

“To address climate change, we need to help big business find alternative solutions that are better for the environment.”

The Hub is set to become the home of translational biomanufacturing in Australia, with industry partnerships already underway at UQ including:

Working to turn greenhouse gas into a feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel with carbon capture company LanzaTech
Using gas fermentation to create new products with global energy company Woodside Energy
Reducing pollution and recovering resources needed to achieve global net zero carbon with global mining group Rio Tinto
Creating future ingredients as part of the Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA)

Woodside Energy VP Energy Solutions, Technical and Energy Development, Jason Crusan said biological solutions could contribute to efforts to decarbonise.

“At Woodside Energy, we have set very clear emissions reduction targets, and we believe that biological solutions could be an important part of the solutions to help us achieve our emissions reductions,” he said.

LanzaTech co-founder, Dr Sean Simpson said the carbon capture company had successfully pioneered the commercial production of sustainable fuels and chemicals from large volume, low cost waste streams throughout the world.

“We are excited to bring our knowledge and experience to the UQ Biosustainability Hub to help accelerate industrial transition to net zero,” Dr Simpson said.

Professor Marcellin said the UQ Biosustainability Hub was the convergence of engineering, biology and industry into a unique model that would aim to enable real and lasting change.

“This is an exciting opportunity to model a new way of working with industry leaders, not only for society, but also to create economically viable solutions and opportunities for our partners that will help them transition their production practices,” he said.

The hub will be located at UQ’s Andrew N. Liveris Building and is open to industry, researchers and governments in Australia and overseas.