Australia is establishing itself as a major international player in the advanced biofuel industry.
The country’s first biofuels facility was opened during the summer in Queensland; the state which is also home to another first, Australia’s advanced biofuels lab. And national carrier, Qantas Airlines, is a trailblazer when it comes to harnessing biofuels. It recently penned a ‘farm to flight’ deal to supply Australian farmers with a Canadian oilseed crop, which is used to make renewable jet fuel.
Now a planned multi-million dollar biofuel production facility in New South Wales has secured key funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). Ethanol Technologies (Ethtec) is behind the AUS$48 million project, which will include a $30 million facility to produce bioethanol from waste and other low-value products.
These investments are aligned with the country’s ambition to be an important exporter in the biofuel market, and its commitments to reduce carbon emissions.
ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said: “Advanced biofuels provides an exciting opportunity for Australia to open up export avenues and also help reduce emissions from the transport sector.
“The global demand for biofuels is expected to triple by 2050, with most of the growth to be met by ethanol so technological breakthroughs that make producing ethanol from waste more efficient is game changing.”