Immense opportunities in the development of biorenewable fuel that would reduce carbon emissions, develop regional economies and alleviate other transport issues have been compromised by the current structure of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme White Paper said Senator Barnaby Joyce, the Leader of the Nationals in the Senate.
Speaking in Brisbane Senator Joyce said that because airlines have been cut out of the benefits of exemptions under an emissions trading scheme their current programs for the development of aviation biofuels have been put under immense stress. “This comes in light of evidence given by Virgin Airlines to the Senate Select Committee on Fuel and Energy in Brisbane today,” he said.
‘‘Biofuels nationally have been stymied because of lack of access or obfuscation to the retail market at the street level. Aviation biofuels allow the capacity for the delivery of large quantities of biofuel at a regional hub. This regional hub could be proximate to the feed stock, the base material for biofuels such as sugar, sorghum and what would be second-generation biofuel material such as straw.
“If this regional hub for the development of fuel is also near a mining area, there is the capacity for the delivery of biofuels into the mining industry in large quantities. Ultimately this allows a major alternate producer of fuel to be up and running and viable and move piece by piece into the forecourt fuel market for motorists, with all the advantage of new supply, new competition and an alternate product that reduces carbon emissions. Most importantly, it would be an Australian product that brings wealth back to the Australian people as opposed to importing oil and exporting our wealth to the Middle East via multinational fuel companies.
“Another benefit is the development of a hub biofuel aviation point that goes hand in hand with a hub regional airport for the nation’s benefit. This would remove the stress on such places as Sydney, making that city a destination rather than a hub. The most common infrastructure and refuelling benefits of the hub airport would be moved to a more regionally based central location between the eastern capitals.
“These are the sort of issues that would garner the interest of the Australian people and could have been aired at the emissions trading scheme inquiry however, the Treasurer Mr Swan in his infinite wisdom has ordered it scrapped.”