Category: Archive

More than 400 service stations now sell ethanol and bio-diesel fuels

admin /14 January, 2006

Farm groups and the National Party have welcomed Prime Minister John
Howard’s prediction that fuel companies will meet a 2001 Federal
election target to produce more than 350 megalitres of biofuels by
2010, said Queensland Country Life
(29 December 2005, p.5). Mr Howard said it was likely the original
target of 350ML would be passed some time between 2008 and 2009.

Govt fleet using 10pc ethanol: The groups hope a viable biofuels
industry will create a new market for producers of grains and sugar. Mr
Howard said more than 400 service stations across Australia were now
selling ethanol and bio-diesel fuels, with BP recently opening three
sites in Canberra to produce E10 fuel (10 per cent ethanol) to service
the Government fleet in the new year.

Fed Government puts all Aust’s greenhouse eggs in “technological fix” basket

admin /14 January, 2006

Australia’s commitment to developing a suite of new energy and
technological solutions to the challenge of abating greenhouse gas
emissions was underscored with the announcement of a new $100 million
energy technology fund, said Federal Industry Minister lan Macfarlane
(12 January 2006).

$100m commitment: The $100 million commitment, $25 million of
which would be exclusively earmarked for renewable energy technology,
was announced following the inaugural Ministerial meeting of the
Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, or AP6.
Macfarlane, said the $100 million was further tangible evidence of the
Australian government’s belief in the Partnership’s ability to develop
and deliver technological solutions as a real way of reducing
emissions.

Coal prices likely to drop due to competition

admin /12 January, 2006

Coal prices are likely to decline this year from a record high because
of increased exports from Indonesia, South Africa and Australia,
reported The Australian Financial Review
(11 January 2006, p.14). A price reduction of almost 20 per cent to
less than $US45 a tonne in Asia is forecast by analysts at National
Australia Bank. Prices in the European port of Rotterdam would drop to
$US55 a tonne from $US60.70 in 2005, according to Sicuete Geberale.

Production set to soar: Mining companies, including BHP Billiton
and Rio Tinto, boosted investment in production last year as prices
jumped. A shortage of digging equipment prevented production from
meeting demand that rose in China, Europe and the United States, where
higher natural gas prices caused some utilities to use more coal. As
the shortage of machinery was resolved “a lot of coal will flood into
the market”, said Ari Hudaya, president-director of Indonesian coal
producer Bumi Resources.

New electicity meters for Victorians stalled

admin /12 January, 2006

More than a million Victorian customers and businesses are paying for state-of-the-art electricity meters that may not be installed for seven years, reported The Australian Financial Review (10 January 2006, p.5). The article said there was also concern that the job of installing the meters could be the exclusive role of the State’s five monopoly distributors, despite the Essential Services Commission (ESC) recommending small, innovative companies be allowed to compete.

Ethanol industry becomes big business

admin /12 January, 2006

Ethanol is already being made from sugar at the CSR mill at Sarina near
Mackay and at Rocky Point on Brisbane’s southern outskirts, while other
sugar-to-ethanol plants are on the drawing board, reported The Land (5 January 2006, p.17).

Caltex contract secured: An ethanol-to-grain plant at Dalby on
the Darling Downs, which is expected to open in mid-2007, already has a
contract to supply an undisclosed amount to Caltex. The $54 million
plant will have an initial production capacity of 40 million litres a
year with scope to double output (Australia now has the capacity to
produce up to 190 million litres of ethanol a year).

Greenpeace hunts the whale hunters

admin /12 January, 2006

The Greenpeace ship, The Arctic Sunrise, was deliberately rammed and damaged by the Nisshin Maru, the factory ship of the Japanese whaling fleet. The Greenpeace web site is keeping the world up to date with their peaceful pursuit, monitoring of the number and types of whales killed and with attempts at preventing the killing of Continue Reading →