Study shows New Zealand could build renewable low-carbon transport fuels industry

February 26, 2018 |

In New Zealand, the country could build a renewable low-carbon transport fuels industry – but only if the nation decides to act.

A report by Crown Research Institute Scion outlines how the country could grow, process feedstock crops into green fuels particularly aimed at the heavy transport, shipping and aviation industries. Scion undertook extensive stakeholder discussions, and modified a computer model (Bioenergy Value Chain Model (developed by the Energy Technologies Institute, UK) to create scenarios of what crops and processing facilities would be needed to produce different quantities of transport fuel sustainability.

This modeling of fossil fuel replacement with biofuel equivalents ranged from 5% to 50% substitution. With combustion of liquid fossil fuels in 2015 representing about 23% of New Zealand’s domestic greenhouse gas emissions, biofuels could have a major impact on overall lowering of carbon emissions.

The study findings, presented in the New Zealand Biofuels Roadmap Summary Report, shows drop-in fuels from non-food feedstocks, particularly forestry grown on non-arable land, is the most attractive option.

This form of biofuel production would also provide strong regional development and employment growth in regions such as Northland, East Coast and the central North Island.

Category: Fuels

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