Diesel Refinery Planned for Qld: Aussie Company Works to Turn Plastics, Old Tyres and Waste into Diesel Fuel for Trucks
by Neil Dowling (Go Auto News Premium) An Australian company funded in part by the Queensland government is now trialling the production of renewable diesel fuel for use in heavy machinery, trucks and marine engines.
It is hoped that the trials, to last up to 18 months, will lead to the construction of a fuel refinery within five years.
Southern Oil received a grant from the Queensland government that also enticed the company to shift its $25 million pilot plant and facilities to Gladstone from Wagga Wagga in NSW.
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The plant is Australia’s first commercial-scale advanced biofuels production facility.
It is planned to produce one million litres of renewable diesel within the next three years and be a supplier to the US Navy’s Great Green Fleet initiative and the Australian Navy and be part of Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia investigations into options for locally produced aviation biofuel.
Southern Oil uses waste plastic, old vehicle tyres, agriculture and forestry waste, and biosolids to make the diesel. This is in contrast with the world’s biggest renewable diesel producer, Finnish company Neste, that makes its diesel fuel from waste animal fat and vegetable oils.
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“There’s also a need for diesel generators in Queensland – especially during natural disasters – and generators using engines like this could produce enough electricity to run about 50 domestic houses, using renewable diesel.”
Southern Oil Refinery and SynBio managing director Tim Rose said Queensland is leading the country in biofutures and renewable fuels.
“We’re witnessing the first step toward proving that renewable diesel refined in Queensland from waste products can be chemically indistinguishable from petroleum-based diesel,” he said. READ MORE