Analysis: Australia’s future fuel

If you’ll indulge me for a moment, I’d like to take the opportunity to step back from each individual step that we’ve been focusing on here to take a look at the broader perspective.

In 2005, Australia consumed:

– 18,712 million litres of petrol (15,856 ML of which was used in passenger vehicles)
– 8690 million litres of diesel fuel (5,636 ML of which was used in rigid or articulated trucks)
– 1564 million litres of LPG/CNG fuel

Current indicators are that fossil fuel use has increased in the 18 months since this data was recorded; alternative fuel use in transport was not significant enough to appear with these statistics at the time. In terms of fuel production:

– Non-renewable fuel production has increased 446% in the last 30 years
– Renewable fuel has increased 28% in the same period

Clearly these are not the markers of a country that has embraced alternative and renewable fuels, as much of the world is doing. This is both a weakness and an opportunity for us: although we have so far given up the chance to be a world leader in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, we have been able to observe a very rapidly maturing field of fossil fuel replacements and make a sensible decision about which is best for the Australian environment. If you’re interested in knowing who the primary contenders are, read on.

ESAA recommends nuclear power over renewables in the short-term

It may seem a bit strange that this blog’s first news post isn’t actually on a direct fuel medium like ethanol or biodiesel, but if the future is to involve any plug-in or hydrogen cars, our methods of generating power become increasingly relevant. According to The Australian, the Energy Supply Association of Australia is reporting that reducing Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent over the next 20 or so years will cost $75 billion in infrastructure and roughly double the cost of power. They recommend this be done using carbon sequestration, natural gas and nuclear power facilities. Wind and solar power are not expected to make a significant contribution until the second half of the century, when they become economically viable.