Western Australia
May 30, 2007
Canola oil is the most widely used
feedstock for biodiesel in Western Australia, however mustard
oil can offer a cheaper alternative for growers in drier areas
to help them become more self sufficient when canola is in short
supply and fossil fuel prices are high.
Centre for Legumes in
Mediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA) researcher, Margaret
Campbell said mustards are very reasonable canola substitutes
because they are more drought tolerant and could be grown in
drier areas where canola didn’t do well.
“In Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
supported projects, the oils from locally grown Indian and
Ethiopian mustards were good feedstocks for biodiesel because
they had more than 40 per cent oil, were cheaper to grow than
canola and could produce comparatively high seed yields,” Ms
Campbell said.
Riverland Oilseed Processors in Pinjarra recently produced more
than 20,000 litres of oil from crushed WA grown mustard, which
was subsequently processed by O’Connor-based company, Bioworks.
Bioworks found mustard biodiesel easier to produce than canola
biodiesel because the suspended particulate matter in canola oil
needed more chemical processing.
Mustard oils also have a low melting point and the erucic acid
content provides good lubricating qualities for the fuel.
Mustard seed byproducts have on-farm benefits, although mustard
meal is used at a lower rate than canola meal in stock feed
rations.
“Because mustard meal is typically high in glucosinolates, which
gives it a ‘hot’ taste, only five per cent is used in stock
feed, compared to 10 per cent for canola meal.
“However, washing the meal removes this taste, making it more
palatable to stock,” Ms Campbell said.
“Glucosinolates can also enhance mustard meal’s use as a natural
fertiliser, soil conditioner and biocide, which the Department
of Agriculture and Food is evaluating.
“With 100 tonnes of seed producing 60 tonnes of meal, the
nutrients in mustard meal can be recycled as fertiliser at an
equivalent value of $110 per tonne,” she said.
Some growers have bought crushing plants to produce their own
biofuel.
“Farm units cost between $10,000 and $50,000 and the on-farm
costs of making biodiesel are around one dollar per litre,” Ms
Campbell said.
“A small $10,000 plant can process up to four tonnes of oilseed,
producing 1000 to 1400 litres of oil daily,” she said.
Binnu growers, 2006 RIRDC Rural Woman of the Year, Bev Logue and
husband Phil, have made their own plants to prepare for
escalating fuel prices or supply limitations.
The Logues actively promoted on-farm and community biodiesel
production, which could be done simply and affordably using
easily obtained tanks, hoses and pipes.
“Growers interested in producing biodiesel need to do their own
sums, comparing the cost of biodiesel production with the price
of mineral diesel and the price offered for the seed at the
time,” Ms Campbell said.
Blending biodiesel with mineral diesel will help extend mineral
diesel supply and adding around five per cent mustard biofuel in
diesel can improve fuel quality.
Ms Campbell said broad scale mustard adoption was currently
limited by available weed control options, as it was impossible
to control competitive weeds such as wild radish.
“However, with the support of the Wheatbelt Regional Development
Scheme, we hope to develop mustard lines tolerant to particular
herbicides within three years.” |
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