Joined: Mar 04, 2005 Posts: 2252 Location: New Zealand
Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 2:40 am Post subject: Govt's biofuel target unlikely to be reached
Govt's biofuel target unlikely to be reached
Quote:
The Biofuel Bill says biofuel should start being mixed with vehicle fuel by July but with questions being raised about the sustainability of the fuel that target now looks unrealistic.
For over six months Gull service stations have been pumping out fuel with 10 percent ethanol - ethanol that is a by-product of our dairy industry.
Not enough ethanol is being produced here to reach the government's target of 3.4 percent in fuel by 2012, and that means the rest will have to be imported. But importing biofuels to save the environment is problematic.
"In the United States, biofuels are taking more fuel to produce them than they actually save. In Asia and South America, biofuels are produced by the decimation of tropical forests," says National Environment Spokesman Nick Smith.
The National Party says it will not support the government's bill unless a sustainability standard ins introduced and officials are telling them that could take three years.
tv3 _________________ Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe. H. G. Wells.
Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 4:50 am Post subject: Re: Govt's biofuel target unlikely to be reached
At best, if everything works to to plan, the US would be able to replace 3.4 percent of its fuel by 2012.
In fact they are struggling to even meet that figure.
3.4 percent is nothing. It may not even keep up with the depletion rate we will be experiencing by then.
When you have a product that has marginal EROI you can't afford to waste what little nett energy you gain from the exercise by transporting it around the world.
Importing it is pointless waste of what little oil still remains.
Joined: Jun 13, 2007 Posts: 2187 Location: Minniesotuh
Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 7:17 am Post subject: Re: Govt's biofuel target unlikely to be reached
Graeme wrote:
Govt's biofuel target unlikely to be reached
Quote:
Not enough ethanol is being produced here to reach the government's target of 3.4 percent in fuel by 2012, and that means the rest will have to be imported. But importing biofuels to save the environment is problematic.
Joined: Mar 04, 2005 Posts: 2252 Location: New Zealand
Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:51 pm Post subject: Re: Govt's biofuel target unlikely to be reached
Parker: Way forward on biofuels, electric vehicles
Quote:
Hon David Parker
Minister of Energy
Minister responsible for Climate Change issues
2 April 2008
Speech notes
The way forward on biofuels and electric vehicles
Address to the EECA Biofuels and Electric Vehicles Conference
4pm, 2 April 2008
Te Papa Soundings Theatre, Wellington
Good afternoon. I am pleased to be here closing the conference and I trust you have spent a very interesting day listening to the many very qualified and interesting speakers that EECA have organised.
It is important to recognise that the government’s support for biofuels and electric vehicles is part of our broader agenda for economic transformation and environmental sustainability.
The Emissions Trading Scheme establishes the framework for pricing all greenhouse gas emissions. It is a comprehensive scheme which will, over time, include all sectors of the economy, including the energy and transport sectors, and all greenhouse gases. Legislation to enact this Scheme is currently going through the Parliamentary process.
The scheme will eventually include every sector of the economy, starting with forestry in 2008 and followed by liquid fossil fuels – primarily transport – in 2009, stationary energy and industrial processes in 2010, and agriculture, waste and other sectors in 2013.
Very simply, the ETS will make it more expensive to behave in ways that increase emissions, and make it relatively cheaper to behave in ways that don’t.
However, as you can see by far the largest contribution we hope to see is from the uptake of new fuels, be they electricity, biofuels or hydrogen. Of these, electricity and biofuels appear closer in practice. We don’t know what the mix will be yet, but we are expecting a significant shift towards alternative fuels over the coming years. In fact, achievement of our emissions target for transport requires this shift to happen.
You will probably be aware that the government has before Parliament a Biofuel Bill which covers the implementation of our biofuels sales obligation policy.
This is an essential initial step in moving towards increased use of biofuels, which will contribute to a reduction in our net greenhouse gas emissions, and will reduce reliance on oil by increasing the use of renewable fuels in the transport sector.
The proportion starts at 0.53 percent and rises to 3.4 percent by 2012.
Significant production of biofuels in New Zealand and elsewhere without undesirable impacts on sustainability will require the utilisation of non-food based feedstocks such as wood, which will be enabled by developments in 2nd generation biofuel technologies.
As was highlighted in a recent report by Scion, the long term potential for New Zealand in this area is significant. To support the development of advanced energy technologies in New Zealand the Government has introduced a Low Carbon Technology Fund. This fund is administered by the Foundation for Research Science and Technology, and has an initial emphasis on funding second generation biofuels.
However, to enable us to take advantage of the opportunities presented by biofuels over the medium to long term it is important that we start our transition to the use of renewable biofuels now.
scoop _________________ Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe. H. G. Wells.
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