
Professor Ian O'Hara
Science and Engineering Faculty,School of Mechanical Medical & Process Engineering
Personal details
- Name
- Professor Ian O'Hara
- Position(s)
- Principal Research Scientist
Science and Engineering Faculty,
School of Mechanical Medical & Process Engineering - Discipline *
- Chemical Engineering, Industrial Biotechnology
- Phone
- +61 7 3138 1551
- i.ohara@qut.edu.au
- Location
- View location details (QUT staff and student access only)
- Identifiers and profiles
-
- Qualifications
-
PhD (Queensland University of Technology), Master of Business Administration (Technology Management) (Deakin University), Bachelor of Engineering (University of Queensland)
- Professional memberships
and associations Member, Institution of Engineers, Australia (MIEAust)
Certified Professional Engineer (CPEng)
National Professional Engineers Register (NPER)
Registered Professional Engineer Queensland (RPEQ)
Member, Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists
- Keywords
-
Bioeconomy, Bioenergy, Biofuels, Biomass utilisation, Biorefining, Bioproducts, Industrial biotechnology, Lignocellulose, Pilot plant, Sugar
Biography
Ian O’Hara is Deputy Director of the QUT Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy (CAB). Ian was responsible for the development of, and is the research program leader for the Mackay Renewable Biocommodities Pilot Plant (MRBPP) – a unique publicly accessible pilot scale research facility in Australia for the development and demonstration of processing technologies for the manufacture of biofuels and bioproducts.
Ian is a Process Engineer with extensive experience in the biofuels, biorefining and sugar industries in research, consultation, policy development, operations management, process design and engineering. Ian works closely with industry and undertakes consulting projects globally in areas including design of greenfield sugar factories and refineries, development of new integrated agricultural precincts, techno-economics, business strategy and other work in the fields of energy efficiency, sugar recovery, sugar quality and process improvement. Ian has been involved in policy development in areas including industrial research, environment, biofuels and renewable energy.
In 2016, Ian was appointed by the Queensland Government as Queensland’s first Biofutures Industry Envoy.
Key Research areas
Ian’s current research interests include:
- industrial biotechnology
- biofuels and bioenergy
- biorefining and biochemicals production
- process engineering
- pilot plant development, scale up and process demonstration
- techno-economic assessments
- sugar and biofuel production technologies.
Recent research has focussed on the technical and economic development of biofuel and bioproduct production systems including feedstock supply, bioprocessing technologies, techno-economics and systems analysis. In particular this includes:
Biomass pretreatment
- Use of green solvents for biomass pretreatment including glycerol, other polyols and ionic liquids
- Lower cost production of fermentable sugars via pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of biomass
- Pilot plant demonstration of a wide range of pretreatment technologies
- Mathematical modelling of dilute acid hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse
Production of bioproducts
- Production of organic acids, lipids and alcohols via microbial fermentation
- Extraction and utilisation of lignin for the production of bioproducts
- Production of biodiesel from new feedstocks and improved production technologies
- Production of enhanced animal feeds
- Economic and techno-economic modelling of biorefinery and bioproduct systems including use of complex decision analysis techniques
Sugarcane processing technologies
- Technical and economic modelling of integrated sugar, biofuels and cogeneration production
- Modelling of sugarcane processing, sugar production and sugar refining technologies
- New technologies for processing of sugarcane juice
Selected keynote and plenary presentations
- Asia Biohydrogen and Biorefinery Symposium (Asia Biohylinks), Malacca, Malaysia (2014)
- 1st ASEAN Conference on Microbial Biotechnology, Bangkok, Thailand (2014)
- International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists (ISSCT) Conference, Sao Paulo, Brazil (2013)
- R&D Update on Conversion of Renewable Plant Biomass to Fuels and Chemicals, Bangkok, Thailand (2013)
- Zernike Innovation Series Luncheon, Brisbane (2013)
- Science Teachers Association of Queensland, Senior Science Conference, Brisbane (2013)
Representation
- NCRIS Biofuels Access and Strategy Committee (2009-2011)
- Australian Government Department of Climate Change – Technical Options Development Group – Inclusion of agriculture in the CPRS (2009)
Teaching
Lecturing
- ENB363 Safety and Environmental Management (for Process Engineers)
Industrial training
- Sugar Industry Chemical Process Supervision course
- Sugar Industry Advanced Chemical Process Supervision course
- Understanding the Sugar Industry Value Chain, Sugar Advisory Services Development Program (SASDP)
Experience
Over my career I have worked for many years in industry and developed a robust understanding of the demands and challenges of agricultural and manufacturing industries. Many industries are challenged by the reliance on traditional commodity products in global markets. In these industries, there is a strong need for agricultural and industrial transformation and product diversification in new markets. Opportunities exist through innovation in biotechnology and green chemistry to develop new environmentally sustainable processes and products which meet consumer needs and enhance economic sustainability of industry.
Research
Some of the research projects I have been involved in include:
- Syngenta Centre for Sugarcane Biofuels Development – development and scale up of green solvent based pretreatment technologies for sugarcane bagasse
- Developing a new renewable food and fuel industry in Australia: sweet sorghum – project was focussed on a systems assessment of sweet sorghum including opportunities for energy, food and feed products
- The production of ethanol and lignin in a sugarcane biorefinery – project focussed on developing sugarcane biorefinery technologies to value add to bagasse
- Production of organic acids and lipids by filamentous fungi – focussed on higher value products from sugarcane juice and bagasse hydrolysates
- Production of biofuels from sugarcane juice using novel processing technologies
- Reducing the economic and environmental risks of large scale biomass storage – in particular the work focussed on minimising dust emissions from large scale storage
Consulting
Some of the consulting projects I have undertaken in recent years include:
- Conceptual process design of new greenfield sugarcane processing, raw sugar and refined sugar plants in Australia, Asia and the Middle East
- Conceptual design and assessment of bioenergy process plants in Australia and Asia including ethanol production, biodiesel production and cogeneration facilities
- Assessment of new agricultural development areas in Australia to determine economically and technically optimal processing infrastructure
- Process design of a new facility for the production of fermentation products
- Process audits of sugarcane factories to assess opportunities for improvements in sugar recovery, sugar quality and energy efficiency
Professional experience
2020 – current, Deputy Director, Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, Queensland University of Technology
2019, Deputy Director – Bioprocessing, Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities, Queensland University of Technology
2018, Acting Executive Director, Institute for Future Environments, Queensland University of Technology
2012 – 2018, Principal Research Fellow, Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities, Queensland University of Technology
2006 – 2012, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities, Queensland University of Technology.
2004 – 2006, Senior Executive Officer, Australian Sugar Milling Council.
2003 – 2004, Production Manager, Racecourse Mill, Mackay Sugar Cooperative Association Ltd.
1998 – 2003, Production Superintendent, Mackay Sugar Cooperative Association Ltd.
1990 – 1998, Shift Supervisor, Technical Officer, Mackay Sugar Cooperative Association Ltd.
Publications
- Gebbie L, Dam T, Ainscough R, Palfreyman R, Cao L, Harrison M, O'Hara I, Speight R, (2020) A snapshot of microbial diversity and function in an undisturbed sugarcane bagasse pile, BMC Biotechnology
- Hassanpour M, Abbasabadi M, Strong J, Gebbie L, Te'o V, O'Hara I, Zhang Z, (2020) Scale-up of two-step acid-catalysed glycerol pretreatment for production of oleaginous yeast biomass from sugarcane bagasse by Rhodosporidium toruloides, Bioresource Technology
- Cai G, Moghaddam L, O'Hara I, Zhang Z, (2019) Microbial oil production from acidified glycerol pretreated sugarcane bagasse by Mortierella isabellina, RSC Advances p2539-2550
- Ahmad F, Zhang Z, Doherty W, O'Hara I, (2019) The outlook of the production of advanced fuels and chemicals from integrated oil palm biomass biorefinery, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews p386-411
- Ahmad F, Zhang Z, Doherty W, Te'o J, O'Hara I, (2017) Improved microbial oil production from oil palm empty fruit bunch by Mucor plumbeus, Fuel p180-187
- Zhang Z, Doherty W, O'Hara I, (2017) Integration of salt-induced phase separation with organosolv pretreatment for clean fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass, ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering p5284-5292
- O'Hara I, Glenn D, (2017) The economic case for bioeconomy development in Australia, Industrial Biotechnology p65-68
- O'Hara I, Mundree S, (2016) Sugarcane-based biofuels and bioproducts, Wiley-Blackwell
- Zhang Z, O'Hara I, Mundree S, Gao B, Ball A, Zhu N, Bai Z, Jin B, (2016) Biofuels from food processing wastes, Current Opinion in Biotechnology p97-105
- Zhang Z, Harrison M, Rackemann D, Doherty W, O'Hara I, (2016) Organosolv pretreatment of plant biomass for enhanced enzymatic saccharification, Green Chemistry p360-381
For more publications by this staff member, visit QUT ePrints, the University's research repository.
Awards
Awards and recognition
- Type
- Advisor/Consultant for Industry
- Reference year
- 2017
- Details
- Appointed as Co-Chair of the R&D Implementation Advisory Committee of the MLA Supply Chain Sustainability Program
- Type
- Appointment to State/National/International Reference Group or Government Committees
- Reference year
- 2017
- Details
- Chair of the Biofutures Industry Advisory Committee
- Type
- Appointment to Prestigious Positions
- Reference year
- 2016
- Details
- Queensland Biofutures Industry Envoy
- Type
- Appointment to State/National/International Reference Group or Government Committees
- Reference year
- 2015
- Details
- Biofutures Industry Reference Group
- Type
- Keynote Speaker/Expert Panel Member/Invited Speaker for a Conference
- Reference year
- 2015
- Details
- O'Hara, I.M., (2015). Revenue diversification opportunities from sugarcane. Tropical Agricultural Conference (TropAg) 2015. Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, Australia. 18 Nov 2015.
- Type
- Keynote Speaker/Expert Panel Member/Invited Speaker for a Conference
- Reference year
- 2014
- Details
- O'Hara, I.M. (2014), Biorefineries - creating economic opportunities from biofuels and bioproducts. Asia BioHylinks Meeting: Asia Biohydrogen and Biorefinery (ABB) Symposium. Mahkota Hotel, Melaka, Malaysia. 16 Dec 2014.
- Type
- Keynote Speaker/Expert Panel Member/Invited Speaker for a Conference
- Reference year
- 2013
- Details
- O'Hara, I.M., Zhang, Z., Rackemann, D.W., Dunn, K.G., Hobson, P.A., Doherty, W.O.S., (2013). Prospects for the development of sugarcane biorefineries. International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists (ISSCT) XXVIII Congress. Transamérica Expo Center, Sao Paulo, Brazil. 27 June 2013.
- Type
- Appointment to State/National/International Reference Group or Government Committees
- Reference year
- 2011
- Details
- NCRIS Biofuels Access and Strategy Committee (2009 - 2011)
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2007
- Details
- Sugar Industry Innovator of the Year Award (as part of the Cooperative Systems Project Team)
Research projects
Grants and projects (Category 1: Australian Competitive Grants only)
- Title
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- CE200100029
- Start year
- 2020
- Keywords
- Title
- Cost Effective Renewable Hydrogen through Materials, Modelling and Process Innovation
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- MG030
- Start year
- 2018
- Keywords
- Battery and Solar Power, Hydrogen Production, Microgrid Integration, Renewable Energy, Water Electrolysis
- Title
- Integrated technologies for economically sustainable bio-based energy(Grand Challenges)
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- GCF020010
- Start year
- 2013
- Keywords
- Biomass; Biofuel; Biorefinery; Ethanol; Alkanes; Lignin
- Title
- Revenue diversification from sugarcane fibre: novel technologies for the processing of bagasse for low-cost biofuels production
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- QUT051
- Start year
- 2011
- Keywords
- Pretreatment; Biofuels; Ethanol
- Title
- Developing a New Renewable Fuel and Food Industry in Australia: Sweet Sorghum
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- PRJ-005254
- Start year
- 2010
- Keywords
- Sweet Sorghum; Milling; Biofuels; Ethanol; Food; Fermentation
- Title
- Reducing the Economic and Environmental Risks of Large Scale Bagasse Storage Through Depithing
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- QUT039
- Start year
- 2010
- Keywords
- Bagasse; Dust; Pith; Combustion; Depiting
- Title
- Opportunities for the Australian Sugar Industry in Greenhouse Gas Abatement and Carbon Trading (3866)
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- QUT027
- Start year
- 2009
- Keywords
- LCA; Sugar; Bagasse; Emissions Trading; Renewable; Energy
- Title
- Current and Future Greenhouse Gas Abatement in the Australian Sugar Industry
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- Start year
- 2008
- Keywords
- LCA; Sugar; Bagasse; Emissions Trading; Renewable; Energy
Supervision
Current supervisions
- Microbial colonisation of low-quality forage in the bovine rumen
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Mark Harrison, Dr Kevin Dudley, Associate Professor Junior Te'o - Hydrothermal Treatments of Sludge for Dewaterability Improvement and Value-Adding Applications
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Zhanying Zhang, Dr Kameron Dunn - Multi-Criteria Tool to Support Decision-Making for Waste Processing Technologies in the Red Meat Industry
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Robert Speight, Dr Kate Helmstedt - Biorefining of Sugarcane Bagasse Based on Acid-Catalysed Glycerol Pretreatment
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Zhanying Zhang, Associate Professor Junior Te'o, Dr Leigh Gebbie - A GIS-based integrated modelling framework for optimal positioning of bioenergy plants
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Geoff Kent - Opportunities for reducing horticultural food waste using biorefining approaches
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Jo-Anne Blinco, Professor Robert Speight - Development of Integrated Processes for Biogas Production from Sugarcane Trash
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Zhanying Zhang, Professor William Doherty - Biosynthesis of fructo-oligosaccharides and other value-added products from sugarcane molasses
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Zhanying Zhang, Associate Professor Mark Harrison, Professor Robert Speight - Microbial conversion of low value co-products from the Australian red meat industry into probiotics or nutritional supplements
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Robert Speight, Dr James Strong - Selection, characterisation and optimisation of codeinone reductase for codeine manufacture
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Robert Speight, Dr Cara Mortimer
Completed supervisions (Doctorate)
- Mathematical Modelling of the Dilute Acid Pretreatment of Sugarcane Bagasse (2016)
- Microbial Oil Production from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (2016)
- Experimental and Statistical Investigation of Australian Native Plants for Second-Generation Biodiesel Production (2015)
- Microalgae: an alternative source of biodiesel for the compression ignition (CI) engine (2014)