Australia
November 27, 2007
A
CSIRO report released today confirms that using pure
biodiesel or blending biodiesel with standard fuel could reduce
greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector.
The report,
The greenhouse and air quality emissions of biodiesel blends in
Australia, assesses the emission levels and environmental
impacts of biodiesel produced from sources including used
cooking oil, tallow (rendered animal fat), imported palm oil and
canola.
CSIRO Energy Transformed National Research Flagship researcher
and report author Dr Tom Beer believes the wider introduction of
biodiesel in Australia could help address the high greenhouse
gas intensity of our nation’s transport sector.
“The results of this study show biodiesel has the potential to
reduce emissions from the transport industry, which is the third
largest producer of greenhouse gases in Australia, behind
stationary energy generation and agriculture,” Dr Beer said.
“The greenhouse gas savings do however depend on the feedstock
used to produce the biodiesel. The highest savings are obtained
by replacing base diesel with biodiesel from used cooking oil,
resulting in an 87 per cent emission reduction.”
“Palm oil can produce up to an 80 per cent saving in emissions
provided it is sourced from pre-1990 plantations. The palm oil
source is critical as product from plantations established on
recently dried peat swamps or cleared tropical forest will in
fact have higher greenhouse gas emissions than regular diesel
due to factors such as land clearing.”
The use of biodiesel also reduces the particulate matter
released into the atmosphere as a result of burning fuels,
providing potential benefits to human health.
While the results are encouraging, further research is required
to establish the viability of the biofuels industry in Australia
and address some of the associated issues such as
sustainability, technological improvements and economic
feasibility.
CSIRO, as part of the Energy Transformed National Research
Flagship, is undertaking an extensive research program into
alternative fuels such as biodiesel to assess possible
biophysical, social and economic impacts of their production and
adoption.
CSIRO initiated the
National Research Flagships to provide science-based
solutions in response to Australia’s major research challenges
and opportunities. The nine Flagships form multidisciplinary
teams with industry and the research community to deliver impact
and benefits for Australia.
The greenhouse and air quality emissions of biodiesel blends in
Australia report can be downloaded at The greenhouse and air
quality emissions of biodiesel blends in Australia.
The greenhouse and air quality emissions of
biodiesel blends in Australia
Beer T, Grant T, Campbell PK. 2007.
Report Number KS54C/1/F2.27. August 2007.
Report for Caltex Pty Ltd.
Prepared with financial assistance from the
Department of the Environment and Water Resources.
Biodiesel can be made
from a large range of feedstocks.
The research
concludes that using pure biodiesel or blending
biodiesel with standard fuel can reduce
greenhouse gas emissions from the transport
sector.
In Australia the
most common feedstocks are:
-
used cooking
oil
-
tallow
-
imported palm
oil
-
canola.
The greenhouse gas
savings do however depend on the feedstock used to
produce the biodiesel.
The highest savings
are obtained by replacing base diesel with biodiesel
from used cooking oil.
Palm oil can
produce up to an 80 per cent saving in emissions
provided it is sourced from pre-1990 plantations.
The palm oil source
is critical as product from plantations established
on recently dried peat swamps or cleared tropical
forest will in fact have higher greenhouse gas
emissions than regular diesel.
The use of
biodiesel also reduces the particulate matter
released into the atmosphere as a result of burning
fuels, providing potential benefits to human health.
Further research
into this area is required to establish the large
scale viability of biofuels in Australia.
CSIRO, as part of
the Energy Transformed National Research Flagship,
is undertaking an extensive research program into
alternative fuels such as biodiesel to assess
possible biophysical, social and economic impacts of
their production and adoption.
Read more about the
Energy Transformed Flagship's work in Alternative
transport fuels: prospects and impacts. |
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“The results of this study show
biodiesel has the potential to
reduce emissions from the
transport industry, which is the
third largest producer of
greenhouse gases in Australia,
behind stationary energy
generation and agriculture,”
Dr Beer said. |
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The research concludes that
using pure biodiesel or blending
biodiesel with standard fuel can
reduce greenhouse gas emissions
from the transport sector. |
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