A $77M BIODIESEL PROJECT, the largest in Australia, is being constructed in the Darwin Business Park at East Arm – a new industry for the NT which should create more than 100 jobs. In Europe and America biodiesel fuel is now widely used.
BIODIESEL IS METHYL OR ETHYL ESTERS made from any tri-glyceride oil molecule. These oils include all plant oils such as Canola, Mustard, Sunflower, Safflower, Soy, Corn oil, etc and used cooking oils can also be used, as well as fats and tallows.
THE DARWIN PLANT, a ‘world scale facility’ is expected to be completed by September 2006. It will import palm oil from SE Asia and will produce 130,000 tonnes pa – three times more than any other plant – for sale to domestic and export markets.
IN ADELAIDE trial biodiesel buses have been running since mid-2002. SA’s Premier, Mike Rann says 95 railcars and about two-thirds of an 810 bus fleet will run on biodiesel, with the remainder running on natural gas.
IN VICTORIA Indigo Shire has moved a step closer to a biodiesel plant at Barnawatha, with the Council’s approach to amending the Planning Scheme to allow a major sustainable industry to locate within the Shire, being approved.