While world oil price risesbiodieselbecomes scarcer

摘要

In the event of an oil supply crisis Australian farmers and transport operators will either struggle to find supplies and or be forced to pay exorbitant prices putting enormous pressure on profitability. Lack of interest in biofuel production at all levels of government mean domestic biodiesel production represents less than 1% of total annual consumption. Heather Brodie, Biofuels Association of Australia, says the lack of a comprehensive plan for biodiesel was demonstrated earlier this year when theNSW Government moved to suspend the scheduled increase of the biodiesel mandate due to insufficient local production to meet or exceed the current mandate. The Biofuels Act 2007 currently requires primary petrol wholesalers to ensure biodiesel makes upa minimum 2 per cent of the total volume of their NSW sales. Resources and Energy Minister Chris Hartcher said the legislated mandate -scheduled to rise to five per cent on January 1 - would be suspended until such time as there is sufficient local production of biodiesel to meet any future increases.