By Roy Weavers


Mackay Sugar made the announcement after five years of planning that construction of a co-generation plant capable of putting 27 megawatts of power into the national grid will begin this year in Central Queensland.

The company's CEO Quinton Hildebrand said the $120 million power plant will generate a third of the Mackay region's electricity needs, and will start operating in late 2012.

"Co-generation will give us revenue from electricity as well as sugar, and that's good for growers in the region as well as the service industry," he says.

Editors Comments: Wow, what a great idea! I know we're looking at other uses of Sugar cane and even other products to grow but think of the prosperity that this area could bring itself if we were almost self sufficient for enrgy requirements.  Worth a look surely ?