A coalition of major farming and sugar industry organisations in Australia has urged the federal government to introduce an immediate national bioenergy mandate for ethanol and biodiesel to strengthen fuel security, support regional employment and expand new market opportunities for agricultural producers.
The joint demand has been made by the National Farmers’ Federation, GrainGrowers, Australian Sugar Manufacturers and CANEGROWERS, Tasmania Country reported.
The industry bodies are calling for a nationwide mandate for ethanol and biodiesel, a long-term roadmap to increase demand for Australian-made biofuels and the inclusion of locally produced ethanol and biodiesel under the Federal Government’s Cleaner Fuels Program as eligible low-carbon fuels.
National Farmers’ Federation chief executive Mike Guerin said recent tensions in the Middle East and their impact on global markets highlighted Australia’s vulnerability to fuel supply disruptions. He said the country needed stronger domestic biofuel production to reduce exposure to global shocks and protect food production and regional businesses.
Guerin added that Australian farmers already supply feedstocks to overseas biofuel industries and argued that building a domestic sector would help diversify income opportunities for producers while improving fuel security.
GrainGrowers chief executive Shona Gawel said Australian-grown sorghum and wheat were well suited for ethanol production and could play a major role in strengthening the country’s fuel mix. She said wider ethanol adoption could improve fuel security, support regional economies and expand market opportunities for grain growers.
CANEGROWERS chief executive Dan Galligan said the sugar industry was ready to contribute more to Australia’s renewable fuel sector. He noted that sugarcane growers in Queensland and New South Wales harvest more than 30 million tonnes of cane each year and said ethanol produced from sugarcane could replace a portion of imported petrol while creating a dependable domestic fuel supply.
Galligan said a mandatory ethanol blending policy would increase demand and encourage investment in new production capacity, creating additional revenue streams for the sugar industry.
Australian Sugar Manufacturers chief executive Ash Salardini said ethanol production in the long term could generate more than three billion litres of biofuels, helping strengthen Australia’s energy security and bioenergy sector.
