The Symposium marks the first high level technical conference to address the research needs related to conversion of gas to liquids, coal to liquids and biomass to liquids, altogether known as XTL. Producing synthetic fuels from gas, coal and biomass will be a key focus for CSIRO’s Energy Transformed Flagship, through the additional funding.

“Our reserves of liquid transport fuels are diminishing and the conversion of natural gas to diesel or gasoline is an obvious solution,” says David Lamb, Leader for the Flagship’s Low Emissions Transport research.

“Even a small improvement in Australia’s liquid fuel self sufficiency will deliver significant economic benefits to the nation as we will be less dependent on expensive imported oil. In addition, these synthetic fuels have environmental benefits with lower emissions.” 

CSIRO’s research in gas-to-liquids technology is a key focus of the new AusGas initiative according to CSIRO Petroleum’s Deputy Chief Dr David Whitford,

“AusGas is a national alliance of research centres in partnership with industry and Government to address the technology challenges of the local gas industry,” Dr Whitford says.

“AusGas recognises that the development of Australia’s natural gas resources offers the prospect of a secure and competitive supply of transport, domestic and industrial fuels, lower emissions and an opportunity for significant wealth generation, and gas-to-liquids is central to this.”

The Symposium keynote address will be delivered by Australia’s Chief Scientist, Dr Jim Peacock, and world renowned experts including Jens Rostrup-Nielsen and Enrique Iglesia will discuss recent technological advances. In addition, CSIRO specialists from the Energy Transformed Flagship and Petroleum Division will outline the latest research activities in Australia.

Media are welcome to attend the Symposium which starts at 9am, July 17, at The Australian Academy of Science’s Shine Dome, Gordon St, ANU, Canberra.

For more information about the Symposium and to download speaker’s bio’s and abstracts visit www.csiro.au/events/SynfuelAlternative.

"The water level on the crucial Wangjiaba Hydrological Station may soon surge above the danger line as more rains have been forecast in the next few days," the paper quoted Cheng Dianlong, the office’s deputy director, as saying.

Anhui’s Mengwa area, where crops and homes of 157,000 people have already been submerged, faces another bout of deliberate flooding to ease pressure at Wangjiaba, the paper said.

Authorities had already flooded nine buffer zones along the Huai to relieve more than 2 million flood-hit residents in Henan, and mobilized more than 30,000 troops to help rescue work, the paper said.

The Ministry of Agriculture warned of the threat of disease, especially bird flu and anthrax, in flood-hit areas, and said animals that have died should be neither sold nor eaten.

Any outbreaks must be immediately reported, it added.

"Pay special attention to preventing diseases which can be transmitted by humans and animals," the ministry said in a statement on its Web site (www.agri.gov.cn).

In a sign of the urgency involved, an Anhui government watchdog sacked the village party chief of Zhenxing, in Yingshang county, for "not directing work at the flood front".

"Failing your responsibility during floods is like touching a high-voltage electric wire," the China Daily quoted a county discipline official as saying.

Further south, officials in Hunan province were battling to contain a plague of more than 2 billion rats fleeing the rising waters of Dongting Lake.

Scientists blamed China’s massive Three Gorges Dam project and climate change for the rodents, whose flight to dry land has seen them ruin cropland in some 22 counties surrounding the lake.

The controversial dam’s "interception of the upper watershed had lowered water levels and created ideal conditions for a rodent outbreak", the paper quoted Wu Chenghe, chief of a plantation protection office at Datong Lake, which runs off Dongting Lake, as saying.

Petrol supplier, Caltex, has flagged that it will ask the Australian Federal Government for a petrol price rise of ten cents to address the cost of complying with emission trading schemes. The RACV’s David Cummings has expressed the view that the focus should remain on coal fired power stations. “Drivers are already facing enough taxes. It is way too early for Caltex to ask drivers to pay for their inefficiencies,” he said. In contrast, economics writer Ross Gittins has called repeatedly for the government to increase the petrol excise to begin reducing consumption, fuel investment in renewables and begin future proofing the economy against the impending oil shock. The government is repeating public statements by the oil industry that the price of petrol would fall if governments reduce their stock piles.

Competition benefits: The government also was confident that full competition in the retail electricity sector, which began 1 July, would keep prices down. Homeowners and small businesses can now choose from who they buy their power. Most retailers, Wilson said, were offering discounts of up to 10 per cent on the official price. Several of the 20 companies licensed by the government to sell retail electricity in Queensland have said they won’t enter the market straight away.

First retailer fails :Energy One, has also just been suspended by the National Electricity Market Management Company. In a statement on June 22 the company said it was being quoted $101.89 per MW for a one-year base load contract. These prices compared with those prevailing earlier this year of approximately $40 to $45 per MW for base load electricity.

Marketing gimmicks: This won’t stop the big industry retailers from bombarding existing and potential customers with marketing material and offers in the days and weeks ahead. It has already been reported gimmicks such as football tickets will be on offer and some retailers were planning on doorknocking every household in the southeast up to five times in a bid to get their business.

The Courier Mail, 2/7/2007, p. 24