BIOFUEL use by the West Australian transport sector is reducing its greenhouse gas emission by about six per cent, according the state's Department of Agriculture and Food.
The department today released a CSIRO report analysing biofuel production in WA, which looked at the potential ethanol and biofuel production benefits.Department grains market analyst Anne Wilkins said the CSIRO analysed both ethanol production from a wheat-based plant and biodiesel production from a tallow-based plant using local data along the supply chain.
“The report concluded that there were positive greenhouse gas savings from biofuels based on an ethanol (E)10 blend and a biodiesel (B) 5 blend,” she said.
“These savings represent an approximately six per cent reduction in greenhouse gases for the transport sector in Western Australia.”
She said the most significant contributor to the greenhouse gas reduction was the electricity production from the ethanol plant.
“This was achieved through an anaerobic digester plant producing biogas (consisting mostly of methane), which is used to generate heat and green electricity,” Ms Wilkins said.
“Both biodiesel and ethanol plants reduce the total demand for fossil fuels, especially the demand for crude oil, which is excellent from a fuel security perspective.”
