There are early signs that the Biofuels mandate in Queensland is driving interest in biofuels.
The industry had been held back by a lack of consumer understanding around the benefits of E10.
With more than 400,000 motorists already checking if their car is compatible with E10 it shows that there is real interest in the product.
While the mandate has only been in operation for three months, there are early signs of an uptick in demand.
Mr Sutton said the Queensland Government’s E10OK advertising campaign had been effective in educating motorists about the benefits.
An analysis by the RACQ indicated that 35.6 million litres of E10 was sold in October ahead of the January mandate.”
Queensland is the centre of the biofuels industry with two ethanol plants and a biodiesel plant located in the State.
The full benefits of biofuels include:
- Improves the air we breathe – e10 reduces hydrocarbon emissions by up to 30% and particulate emissions by up to a massive 50%. It is these emissions that can very detrimentally affect the health of people.
- E10 is better – The addition of 10% ethanol in regular unleaded petrol improves performance in engines as the fuel burns more completely. Ethanol is also a cleaning agent, keeping fuel systems clean and eliminating the need for expensive fuel additive packages.
- Contributes to energy security – A strong ethanol industry in Australia will help to address our almost total reliance on foreign oil.
- Consumer Choice – Ethanol Mandates ensure that all consumers will be able to buy an environmentally responsible fuel which provides superior engine performance.
- Will drive regional investments and jobs – creating new jobs in the renewable fuels industry and will support further capital investment in the biofuels industry in Australia.
- Great for the environment – E10 reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 3-7 per cent compared to regular unleaded petrol.
- Provides much-needed support for the agricultural industry – The Dalby Bio-Refinery buys 16,000 tonnes of sorghum per month at full capacity, underpinning grain prices on the Darling Downs. The Wilmar Plant at Sarina supports sugar-cane farmers.
