NQ Bio-Energy plant to help halt decline in population

The company proposing to develop a A$400 million (US$367.54 million) sugar, ethanol and power generation facility in Ingham, Queensland, Australia, believes their proposal could arrest the declining population in the Hinchinbrook region. North Queensland Bio-Energy (NQBE) Project Implementation Manager Doug Kingston said based on the current and projected population figures provided by the Hinchinbrook Shire Council for the Herbert district, Ingham needs a project like NQBE’s. Kingston said the proposed factory would help arrest the town’s declining population by providing hundreds of jobs. “I don’t see any other project on the horizon that’s going to provide the jobs that the North Queensland BioEnergy project will do,” said Kingston. (April 29, 2010)