General News
1 October, 2026
$1bn biofuels plant outlined
A RENEWABLE energy start-up company has approached the Mossman Advisory Committee (MAC), currently overseeing the transition from sugar cane to other industry options, with a $1 billion biofuels hub proposal.
Jupiter-RE’s biofuels hub would turn locally-grown bana grass and similar produce into renewable diesel, aviation fuel, green fertilisers and other useful materials.
Founder of Jupiter-RE, David Elliot, based in Sydney said: “We are a very quiet company not trying to overpromise or bang a drum”.
“There is a lot at stake here for the growers and the town and we are mindful of that,” he said. “A lot of companies have come up there and promised to do something, but if we say we are in, then we are in.
“I don’t think the timing is right to be promoting this just now but maybe in a few months I can reach out and advise if we have crossed the next hurdle and we are a go.”
Douglas Shire Mayor Lisa Scomazzon said the proposal would be assessed alongside other submissions being considered for the region.
“Any proposal that has the potential to generate employment, create new opportunities for local growers and strengthen Mossman’s agricultural sector deserves consideration,” she said.
“It’s heartening to see organisations identifying opportunities in Mossman and putting forward proposals that could help diversify the local economy.”
State Member for Cook, David Kempton is remaining realistic.
“We’re still playing around with the biofuels proposition, but we need to make sure there are offtake agreements,” he said.
“That was the situation that didn’t happen in the past and it didn’t really work.”
Offtake agreements are legally binding contracts between a producer and a buyer to purchase or sell goods before production even begins.
Canegrowers Mossman generl manager Evelyn Matthews said “we believe David and his team from Jupiter are genuinely interested in trying to put forward a project that would provide positive outcomes for growers and the Douglas region”.
“We thought it was a project that would tick a lot of boxes for growers, landholders, businesses and even the local council,” she said.
“The project is ambitious but can be scaled to a size that suits a variety of feedstock and its availability.
“Until it becomes a more advanced and common commercial concept, it isn’t likely to get the full support it needs to get it off the ground in Mossman.”
