News & Events

New study into the sustainable production of bioenergy

Published: 09-Dec-09

Public perception of bioenergy around the world ranges from “environmental saviour” for the role it plays limiting greenhouse gas emissions and reducing our reliance on oil, to “global villain” due in part to the impact bioenergy has had on commodity prices in some countries.

A new report released today by RIRDC analyses how Australia’s bioenergy can take advantage of the significant opportunities before it, while avoiding the “villain” tag  associated with a number of international bioenergy industries where the “food vs fuel” issue has dominated the bioenergy debate.  

At the heart of the recommendations contained in Sustainable production of bioenergy, released today at the Bioenergy Australia 2009 conference by RIRDC’s General Manager of New Rural Industries Dr Roslyn Prinsley, is the development of bioenergy sustainability framework.

Australia’s biofuels industry is relatively small, and has tended to be based on ‘waste’ streams such as vegetable oil, tallow and C molasses.  The report predicts that with further growth of this ‘first generation’ industry, biofuels could start to use crops which are currently used for human food or animal feed. A sustainability framework and system is required to help facilitate the industry’s growth in a sustainable way.

And while Australia’s second generation biofuels industry is virtually non-existent, it is seen as a potential growth area.  The report contends that a sustainability framework would help ensure that the significant potential offered by the use of biomass for electricity, heat and liquid fuels is tapped in such a way that significantly improves sustainability outcomes.

The report also states that a bioenergy sustainability framework would assist the Australian bioenergy industry to access overseas markets where admission is only granted to those biofuels which meet specified sustainability criteria.  

Sustainable production of bioenergy sets out the challenges that bioenergy poses for industry, policy makers, the scientific community and for society, and looks at the various strategies that could be used to help the industry build greater levels of consumer, industry and government confidence. 

Central to these is for the bioenergy industry to demonstrate its ability to produce sustainable energy products, and to illustrate how it can make a significant contribution to delivering on Australia’s broader sustainability goals.

The report looks at arrangements overseas that have helped facilitate the sustainable production of bioenergy, and looks at lessons Australia can draw from the international experience, bearing in mind Australia has a unique set of local issues relating to the sustainable production of bioenergy.

The report provides mechanisms to develop of a bioenergy sustainability system, including:

• industry self regulation, including through a code of conduct applied by industry or consumer information mechanisms (eg labelling, trademarks, websites etc)
• third party compliance schemes, including through government regulation 

The study was co-funded by RIRDC, CSIRO Energy Transformed Flagship, Industry and Investment NSW, University of New England and the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment.  It is available on the RIRDC website www.rirdc.gov.au

Media enquiries:
Duncan Sheppard – RIRDC Public Affairs Manager – 02 6271 4175 or 0458 215 604
Lou Morrissey, Communication Manager, Energy Transformed Flagship, CSIRO – 02 4960 6140