petrol sales and ethanol-blended fuel sales by liable fuel retailers must be biobased
petrol (ethanol), whereas the biobased diesel mandate requires 0.5% of all diesel fuel
sold by fuel wholesalers to be biobased diesel (biodiesel). Biobased petrol and
biobased diesel sold under the biofuels mandate must meet the sustainability criteria
for biofuels. The sustainability criteria for biofuels help mitigate unintended environmental impacts from the expected higher demand for biofuels as a result of the
biofuels mandate. The sustainability criteria are prescribed in legislation and include
(Queensland Government 2018e):
• A greenhouse gas criterion that requires unblended biofuels, regardless of the
feedstock, to deliver greenhouse gas savings of at least 20% when compared to
regular petrol or diesel and
• Certification under the relevant environmental sustainability standard, which
varies depending on the feedstock used to produce the biofuel
The biodiesel industry in Queensland has struggled with sourcing adequate
feedstock. Whilst tallow is preferred, the high market value of tallow (upwards of
AU$600/t) has been prohibitive, and other feedstocks, such as used cooking oil,
have been diverted to other industries, such as the composting sector. Whilst the
bioethanol industry has prospered through grain and, to a lesser extent, sugar
molasses, providing both domestic supply and export to other Australian states,
this has brought tensions between the intensive animal industry in Queensland which
relies on grain as a feedstock and increased costs associated with the extra demand
for grain from Queensland’s biorefineries. To assist in the identification of organic
waste streams for the bioeconomy, the Australian Government has funded an
identification, mapping and reporting project. The Australian Biomass for Bioenergy
Assessment (ABBA) seeks to catalyse investment in the renewable energy sector by
providing detailed information about biomass resources across Australia. This
information aims to assist project developers make decisions for new bioenergy
projects and provide linkages between potential biomass feedstocks – through the
supply chain – to end users. To achieve this, ABBA collects datasets, on a state-bystate basis, about the location, volumes and availability of biomass and publishes
them on the Australian Renewable Energy Mapping Infrastructure (AREMI) platform (see www.nationalmap.gov.au/renewables). ABBA is managed by the Rural
Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), with funding support
from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). Data collected from the
project is presented on a spatial data platform for Australian Renewable Energy
Mapping Infrastructure (AREMI) which facilitates the addition of customisable
layers. This data includes the types, locations and volumes of existing biomass
resources (where possible identifying both total and potentially available resources);
the types, locations and volumes of existing bioenergy industries; land capability for
future biomass; and other related information including energy infrastructure (and
current energy requirements), power utilities, transport infrastructure, population
and land use data. In Queensland, data has been mapped and made available on
the sugar industry, forestry, intensive animal industries, cotton, crops and horticulture (see Department of Agriculture’s Web-based Agricultural Land Information
8 Sustaining Queensland’s Agricultural Sector: Challenges and. . .
137
petrol (ethanol), whereas the biobased diesel mandate requires 0.5% of all diesel fuel
sold by fuel wholesalers to be biobased diesel (biodiesel). Biobased petrol and
biobased diesel sold under the biofuels mandate must meet the sustainability criteria
for biofuels. The sustainability criteria for biofuels help mitigate unintended environmental impacts from the expected higher demand for biofuels as a result of the
biofuels mandate. The sustainability criteria are prescribed in legislation and include
(Queensland Government 2018e):
• A greenhouse gas criterion that requires unblended biofuels, regardless of the
feedstock, to deliver greenhouse gas savings of at least 20% when compared to
regular petrol or diesel and
• Certification under the relevant environmental sustainability standard, which
varies depending on the feedstock used to produce the biofuel
The biodiesel industry in Queensland has struggled with sourcing adequate
feedstock. Whilst tallow is preferred, the high market value of tallow (upwards of
AU$600/t) has been prohibitive, and other feedstocks, such as used cooking oil,
have been diverted to other industries, such as the composting sector. Whilst the
bioethanol industry has prospered through grain and, to a lesser extent, sugar
molasses, providing both domestic supply and export to other Australian states,
this has brought tensions between the intensive animal industry in Queensland which
relies on grain as a feedstock and increased costs associated with the extra demand
for grain from Queensland’s biorefineries. To assist in the identification of organic
waste streams for the bioeconomy, the Australian Government has funded an
identification, mapping and reporting project. The Australian Biomass for Bioenergy
Assessment (ABBA) seeks to catalyse investment in the renewable energy sector by
providing detailed information about biomass resources across Australia. This
information aims to assist project developers make decisions for new bioenergy
projects and provide linkages between potential biomass feedstocks – through the
supply chain – to end users. To achieve this, ABBA collects datasets, on a state-bystate basis, about the location, volumes and availability of biomass and publishes
them on the Australian Renewable Energy Mapping Infrastructure (AREMI) platform (see www.nationalmap.gov.au/renewables). ABBA is managed by the Rural
Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), with funding support
from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). Data collected from the
project is presented on a spatial data platform for Australian Renewable Energy
Mapping Infrastructure (AREMI) which facilitates the addition of customisable
layers. This data includes the types, locations and volumes of existing biomass
resources (where possible identifying both total and potentially available resources);
the types, locations and volumes of existing bioenergy industries; land capability for
future biomass; and other related information including energy infrastructure (and
current energy requirements), power utilities, transport infrastructure, population
and land use data. In Queensland, data has been mapped and made available on
the sugar industry, forestry, intensive animal industries, cotton, crops and horticulture (see Department of Agriculture’s Web-based Agricultural Land Information
8 Sustaining Queensland’s Agricultural Sector: Challenges and. . .
137