Wellington
The recent Bioenergy Association of NZ liquid biofuels conference in Wellington demonstrated anumber of businesses surviving, possibly thriving as part of the country's move to sustainabletransportation.
As BANZ 's executive director Brian Cox pointed out,with renewable fuels (bioethanol and biodiesel) only making up 0.2% of total transport fuels, NewZealand has a long way to go before reaching the association's target of 30% by 2040.
However, it’s a start, even if the Ministry of Economic Development shows a lukewarm regard toits development - and examples of commercial success can only boost biofuel's increasing uptake.
sticK wasn't able to be at all of the day's proceedings, attended by over 50 people; but pointsof interest, in no particular order, follow.
• Allied Petroleum , a South Island independentsupplier of 9000 (many on-farm) customers, has an increasing biodiesel demand. It has startedsupplying a Queenstown consortium of 20 members - one way of obtaining the volumes necessary to makeit worthwhile for all participants
• There are another 8 consortia for biodiesel outlets in development around NZ
• A BANZ biodiesel accreditation scheme (voluntary) is in development to help give purchasersof the fuel confidence in its performance and provenance
•
• All other world markets/countries, subsidise the production of biofuels. NZ needs to continuewith its biodiesel grants scheme to continue its development, until such time as sustainablyproduced fuel can economically foot it with pumping oil out of the ground. Currently, there is nocertainty the grants scheme will continue past June 2012
• Bioethanol use increased 17% in 2010, and biodiesel use increased 7% in the same period(mostly as a blend).