4 minutes with… John O’Hare, CEO, SCAD Queensland

Tell us about your company and it’s role in the Advanced Bioeconomy.

Within the facility there will be an intensive dairy farm, beef feedlot, aquaculture farm, hydroponic vegetable, fruit & herbal growing hothouses and sugarcane farming. All food production will have the produce processed at the onsite SCAD Processing facility. Also, there will be within the system, Renewable Energy / Biofuel plants producing Liquid

Tell us about your role and what you are focused on in the next 12 months.

After 10 years of searching for funds and suitable site my next role will be the selection of integration technologies, EPC firms and acquiring top class staff to help pull the project together. The agriculture technology is quite mature but RE technology will require global travel accompanied by regional meetings.

Technology sections covered:

1. Anaerobic Digesters

2. Cellulosic Bio refineries

3. Algae systems

4. Helioculture systems

5. Solar systems

6. Geothermal systems

What do you feel are the most important milestones the industry must achieve in the next 5 years?  

1. technology transfer techniques

2. RE bipartisan industry and govt. support globally

If you could snap your fingers and change one thing about the Advanced Bioeconomy, what would you change? 

Ignorance of government leaders and industry investors

Of all the reasons that influenced you to join the Advanced Bioeconomy industry, what single reason stands out for you as still being compelling and important to you?  

ability to think laterally and acquire low cost feedstock

Where are you from? 

Australia , rural NSW

What was your undergraduate major in college, and where did you attend? Why did you choose that school and that pathway?

Uni. Southern Queensland … Bach. Business … industrial psychology. Human behaviours interested me

What’s the biggest lesson you ever learned during a period of adversity?  

patience and persistence

What hobbies do you pursue, away from your work in the industry?  

ocean swimming, walking

What are 3 books you’d want to have with you, if you were stranded on a desert island

Girl with dragon tattoo – trilogy

What books or articles are on your reading list right now, or you just completed and really enjoyed?  

nothing in last month

What’s your favorite city or place to visit, for a holiday?  

Hawaii