Bio-Fuel Industry Needs Govt Backing
March 12th, 2009
NZers will not get to use greener bio-fuels unless the Govt introduces legislation to replace the Biofuels Bill it dumped recently. This is according to the Kiwi holding the record for fastest circumnavigation of the earth in a powerboat. Pete Bethune, whose bio-fuelled boat Earthrace beat the existing record by 14 days in 2008, says NZ has become the only country in the OECD not to have bio-fuels available to consumers for road transport, and since then progress has remained practically zero.
NZ lagging. He says other countries have already recognised the environmental and economic advantages bio-fuels offer, and have progressively introduced legislation making it compulsory for them to be blended in petrol and diesel. “It is ironic that a Kiwi beat a world record using a bio-fuelled boat, but we can’t get biofuels in our own country. The new Govt’s repeal of the Biofuels Bill entrenches our position at the tail end of the OECD.”
Flawed thinking. He says Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee’s reasons for dumping the bill are not strong. “He said the bill would lead to uncertain costs to consumers. If petrol and diesel, and all oil prices, were stable, he might have a point. But they are far from stable anyway. Oil rocketed up to US$150, and back to $40 in just twelve months.” Bethune adds claims bio-fuels “could damage NZ’s clean, green image” are ridiculous. He wants the Govt to show some leadership and backbone, and support legislation which forces oil companies into blending bio-fuels into NZ’s transport energy, rather than simply leaving it at their discretion.
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