The Minister for Science and Innovation details recent investments in biofuels in WA, including a $100 million ethanol plant and Gull Petroleum's introduction of biodiesel, highlighting the government's strategy and economic benefits.

AnsweredQoN 127Legislative Assembly
Asked
6 April 2006
Portfolio
Science and Innovation

QuestionView source ↗

BIOFUELS
Can the minister inform the house of recent developments in biofuels in Western Australia? Mr F.M. LOGAN

AnswerView source ↗

In view of the fantastic news we have received about economic development in Western Australia and the fact that the economy is going gang busters and has been described as a V8 with a rocket and historically low unemployment levels, it is easy to understand that people have a great deal of confidence in investing in Western Australia. The enormous confidence in where the Carpenter government is taking the economy of Western Australia is understandable, and because of that companies are investing in areas that the government has been trying to promote for some time; that is, biofuels. Last Friday, BP Australia Ltd and Primary Energy Pty Ltd of Gunnedah, New South Wales, announced that they were investing $100 million in a biofuels plant to be located in Kwinana next to the Cooperative Bulk Handling terminal. The plant will use wheat as a feedstock, converting 200 000 tonnes of wheat into 80 million litres of ethanol each year. BP expects to be supplying that ethanol into the market through normal unleaded fuel. It is expected that the 80 million litres will be enough for the Perth market to meet the requirements of what the federal government has announced as E10; that is, petrol can contain up to 10 per cent ethanol. That is a fantastic announcement of $100 million worth of investment, with a significant number of jobs created during the construction phase and ongoing jobs for nearly 40 people. Secondly, Gull Petroleum announced on Monday that it will be the first fuel retailer in Western Australia to offer biodiesel to motorists. The product, to be called Bio-D, is a blend of petroleum diesel and up to 20 per cent biodiesel. Members will remember me speaking about the way that Germany approaches its biodiesel products, with up to 20 per cent of all diesel fuel sold in that country being biodiesel. It looks like Western Australia is going the same way. Gull also announced on Monday that it would build an $18 million biodiesel plant next to its fuel import terminal in Kwinana. Watch this space, because very shortly there will be further announcements in the biodiesel and ethanol areas with further significant investments. This not only underlines the confidence that industry has in the Western Australian economy but also supports the fantastic strategy the government has to promote biodiesel and ethanol in Western Australia.
Mr F.M. LOGAN replied: In view of the fantastic news we have received about economic development in Western Australia and the fact that the economy is going gang busters and has been described as a V8 with a rocket and historically low unemployment levels, it is easy to understand that people have a great deal of confidence in investing in Western Australia. The enormous confidence in where the Carpenter government is taking the economy of Western Australia is understandable, and because of that companies are investing in areas that the government has been trying to promote for some time; that is, biofuels. Last Friday, BP Australia Ltd and Primary Energy Pty Ltd of Gunnedah, New South Wales, announced that they were investing $100 million in a biofuels plant to be located in Kwinana next to the Cooperative Bulk Handling terminal. The plant will use wheat as a feedstock, converting 200 000 tonnes of wheat into 80 million litres of ethanol each year. BP expects to be supplying that ethanol into the market through normal unleaded fuel. It is expected that the 80 million litres will be enough for the Perth market to meet the requirements of what the federal government has announced as E10; that is, petrol can contain up to 10 per cent ethanol. That is a fantastic announcement of $100 million worth of investment, with a significant number of jobs created during the construction phase and ongoing jobs for nearly 40 people. Secondly, Gull Petroleum announced on Monday that it will be the first fuel retailer in Western Australia to offer biodiesel to motorists. The product, to be called Bio-D, is a blend of petroleum diesel and up to 20 per cent biodiesel. Members will remember me speaking about the way that Germany approaches its biodiesel products, with up to 20 per cent of all diesel fuel sold in that country being biodiesel. It looks like Western Australia is going the same way. Gull also announced on Monday that it would build an $18 million biodiesel plant next to its fuel import terminal in Kwinana. Watch this space, because very shortly there will be further announcements in the biodiesel and ethanol areas with further significant investments. This not only underlines the confidence that industry has in the Western Australian economy but also supports the fantastic strategy the government has to promote biodiesel and ethanol in Western Australia.
In view of the fantastic news we have received about economic development in Western Australia and the fact that the economy is going gang busters and has been described as a V8 with a rocket and historically low unemployment levels, it is easy to understand that people have a great deal of confidence in investing in Western Australia. The enormous confidence in where the Carpenter government is taking the economy of Western Australia is understandable, and because of that companies are investing in areas that the government has been trying to promote for some time; that is, biofuels. Last Friday, BP Australia Ltd and Primary Energy Pty Ltd of Gunnedah, New South Wales, announced that they were investing $100 million in a biofuels plant to be located in Kwinana next to the Cooperative Bulk Handling terminal. The plant will use wheat as a feedstock, converting 200 000 tonnes of wheat into 80 million litres of ethanol each year. BP expects to be supplying that ethanol into the market through normal unleaded fuel. It is expected that the 80 million litres will be enough for the Perth market to meet the requirements of what the federal government has announced as E10; that is, petrol can contain up to 10 per cent ethanol. That is a fantastic announcement of $100 million worth of investment, with a significant number of jobs created during the construction phase and ongoing jobs for nearly 40 people. Secondly, Gull Petroleum announced on Monday that it will be the first fuel retailer in Western Australia to offer biodiesel to motorists. The product, to be called Bio-D, is a blend of petroleum diesel and up to 20 per cent biodiesel. Members will remember me speaking about the way that Germany approaches its biodiesel products, with up to 20 per cent of all diesel fuel sold in that country being biodiesel. It looks like Western Australia is going the same way. Gull also announced on Monday that it would build an $18 million biodiesel plant next to its fuel import terminal in Kwinana. Watch this space, because very shortly there will be further announcements in the biodiesel and ethanol areas with further significant investments. This not only underlines the confidence that industry has in the Western Australian economy but also supports the fantastic strategy the government has to promote biodiesel and ethanol in Western Australia.
Secondly, Gull Petroleum announced on Monday that it will be the first fuel retailer in Western Australia to offer biodiesel to motorists. The product, to be called Bio-D, is a blend of petroleum diesel and up to 20 per cent biodiesel. Members will remember me speaking about the way that Germany approaches its biodiesel products, with up to 20 per cent of all diesel fuel sold in that country being biodiesel. It looks like Western Australia is going the same way. Gull also announced on Monday that it would build an $18 million biodiesel plant next to its fuel import terminal in Kwinana. Watch this space, because very shortly there will be further announcements in the biodiesel and ethanol areas with further significant investments. This not only underlines the confidence that industry has in the Western Australian economy but also supports the fantastic strategy the government has to promote biodiesel and ethanol in Western Australia.
Watch this space, because very shortly there will be further announcements in the biodiesel and ethanol areas with further significant investments. This not only underlines the confidence that industry has in the Western Australian economy but also supports the fantastic strategy the government has to promote biodiesel and ethanol in Western Australia.

Explore WA Government Data

Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.

Explore more