Executive Summary
What the report is about
This report aims to recommend a framework for organising research and development priorities to RIRDC, as well as provide research priorities arising from a survey and tabulated information on organisations and researchers who are active in this area of research.

Who is the report targeted at?
In July 2007 RIRDC began a new program in Bioenergy, Bioproducts and Energy. This report aims to recommend a set of research and development priorities to RIRDC in the areas of bioenergy (including biofuels) and bioproducts. It does not cover the areas of “Methane to Markets”, and “Energy” because these parts of the program are being developed under a different set of institutional arrangements, and will be managed by RIRDC as part of the Bioenergy, Bioproducts and Energy program. RIRDC will develop a Five-Year Plan for the new program using this report as an input.

Background
This report forms one of a series of reports from CSIRO to RIRDC to underpin the development of the new program.

• Biofuels in Australia – issues and prospects (O’Connell et al.2007) – synthesis and summary versions
• Biofuels in Australia – biofuel co-products for livestock (Braid 2007)
• Bio-based products (Haritos 2007)
• Biofuels in Australia – some economic and policy issues (Batten and O’Connell 2007) All of the reports contain extensive reviews of a range of issues related to biofuels, bioproducts and to a lesser extent, bioenergy (heat and power generation).

In this report, the knowledge gaps identified in the reviews are distilled and combined with surveys of industry participants to recommend research and development priorities.

Aims/Objectives
This aim of the report is to provide a framework to organise research and development priorities and projects. It also provides a list of research priorities and some of the organisations actively working in the area.

RIRDC and other agencies with an active interest in R&D in this field are the prime beneficiaries of the work presented here. It will also help to frame further development of an industry ‘roadmap’ and will therefore help to guide government, researchers and industry with strategic investment into research and development.

Methods used
There were four major inputs to this analysis

• Extensive literature reviews and analysis of opportunities and knowledge gaps for biofuels (O’Connell et al.2007) and bioproducts (Haritos 2007) but not for bioelectricity and bioheat.
• An on-line questionnaire (trialled on paper at the Bioenergy Australia 2006 conference) which was open to all industry participants about research activities and recommended priorities
• A workshop held at CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems on 23rd March 2007 with the authors of this report, as well as representatives from RIRDC, NFF, Bioenergy Australia, Queensland University of Technology to discuss research and development priorities

Results/Key findings
The R&D priorities have been organised into a set of 10 areas, each of which have a rationale and a set of defined priorities (Figure 3, page 12). The 10 areas are
Research and development investment framework or ‘roadmap’

1. Sustainability
2. Biomass resources
3. Supply logisitics
4. Conversion technologies
5. Matching feedstock production with cost effective conversion technologies
6. Products a) Product streams b) Understanding markets c) Pathways for products to markets
7. Economic and policy analysis
8. Outreach
9. Capacity building

Implications for relevant stakeholders, and recommendations for further steps
The research and development framework presented here is preliminary in nature and primarily aimed at RIRDC to assist with setting the research agenda for their new program in Bioenergy, Bioproducts and Energy. It may also be useful to a broader audience because it represents a ‘mudmap’ of research issues and knowledge gaps required to underpin the further development of bioenergy, biofuels and bioproducts industries more generally than within the new RIRDC research program. It therefore provides a useful basis for a more comprehensive consultation with researchers, industry, government and community than was possible here. There have been many calls for a bioenergy and biofuels ‘roadmap’, which would ideally include building a common vision, specific well-reasoned goals or targets, critical pathways for research, technology development, adoption and commercialisation and industry rollout. Many other countries have progressed substantially with developing such roadmaps, and are starting to implement them.

Conclusions
There is currently a high level of interest in bioenergy, biofuels and bioproducts both internationally and domestically. It is time to take advantage of this interest and make the most of the range of opportunities which are currently presented. Australia has excellent opportunities to invest strategically in those areas and technologies that will provide strong competitive advantage, make the most of unique combinations of Australian bio-resources and processing technologies, and develop new industries that can reinvigorate and integrate agriculture and forest industries. The RIRDC Bioenergy, Bioproducts and Energy program can provide leadership and co-ordination to this important industry development.