4 minutes with… Des Richardson, Senior Scientist, Norske Skog Paper Mills (Australasia)

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

Norske Skog currently manufactures newsprint and light weight coated paper grades. We are seeking to diversify into the biofuel/biochemical space in order to make best use of the resources available to us.

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

I check out the scientific and technical aspects of the rapidly advancing biofuel and biochemical technologies being developed.

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

The Bioeconomy industry needs to be able to attract investment to take technology from the laboratory to pilot, demonstration and full commercial scale.

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

Funds to develop good ideas to commercial reality

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?  

Lignocellulosic material is the one sustainably renewable material capable of producing the myriad of products currently produced from fossil fuels.

Where are you from? 

The north west coast of Australia’s southern most state, Tasmania.