26 July
2006 - A new biodiesel plant in Picton in Western
Australia’s south west will create up to 60 direct
and indirect jobs and consume $20 million a year
of locally produced canola, tallow and used oil.
Officially opened today by Australian
Environment and Heritage Minister Senator Ian
Campbell, the Australian Renewable Fuels Limited
biodiesel plant is the biggest in Western Australia.
Biodiesel is a renewable transport
fuel derived from various feedstock including
vegetable oils and animal fats. It can be used
as a direct replacement for conventional diesel
or as a blend component and can provide some health
and greenhouse benefits.
Senator Campbell said the Australian
Government was a strong supporter of the biodiesel
industry, which was growing and on track to meet
its share of the biofuels production target of
350 million litres by 2010.
“As well as tax concessions,
the Government has committed $37 million under
the Biofuels Capital Grants Programme for ethanol
and biodiesel production facilities,” Senator
Campbell said.
“Australian Renewable Fuels
received $7.1 million under this programme to
build a biodiesel plant at Largs Bay in South
Australia – funding support which has helped it
establish this plant.”
Senator Campbell said the local
facility had an annual production capacity of
about 45 million litres of biodiesel.
“The Picton and Largs Bay plants
use the latest European technology, the ‘Energea’
process currently operating in Austria, which
means they are capable of producing high quality
biodiesel. The two plants will have production
capacity of 90 million litres a year,” he said.
Senator Campbell also announced
the foundation of an Australian Biofuels Institute
to develop the underpinning technologies and knowledge
to ensure a profitable and sustainable biofuels
industry.
The concept was developed by
the South Australian Research and Development
Institute in consultation with ARF Chief Executive
Officer Darryl Butcher. Founding members include
the Queensland Institute of Technology.
“ARF is confident that with
the right investment, this programme has the potential
to make Australia a world leader in biofuels research.
It is an exciting concept and I congratulate Mr
Butcher and the founding partners for taking the
initiative.”
Senator Campbell said he was
pleased to see industry responding to the Government’s
support for biofuels.
“It is also important that the
industry proves it is not reliant on permanent
subsidies and can ultimately establish itself
as an independent, viable industry,” he said.
“The biofuels institute is one way of working
to ensure this occurs.”
For more information see http://www.deh.gov.au/atmosphere/fuelquality/index.html
Tamatha Smith
