Australian Commercial Bioethanol?

[Messalina Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Messalina]

It seems that the South Australian Farmers Federation are the biggest commercial suppliers of bioethanol in Australia. Is this the case? Does anyone know of other ethanol suppliers, and if there is a map showing suppliers and retail outlets (similar to the maps that have been created in the biodiesel forums)?

[Tony From West Oz Vice Chairperson of WARFA Find all posts View Profile Close Tony From West Oz]

Re: Australian Commercial Bioethanol?

I was under the impression that Manildra were the largest producrers of ethanol in Oz.
I have been wrong before.
Tony

[Messalina Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Messalina]

Re: Australian Commercial Bioethanol?

You are probably right - I'm very new to this subject. All I know about Manildra thus far is in regards to Dick Honan and John Howard, and the Taskforce Report. I assume that SAAF would still be in the top 3 ethanol producers? In the Taskforce Report, it is stated that there are only three commercial producers of ethanol in Australia. I wonder if this still holds true?

[Tony From West Oz Vice Chairperson of WARFA Find all posts View Profile Close Tony From West Oz]

Re: Australian Commercial Bioethanol?

I am sure that there are many commercial producers of ethanol in Aust. Most of them only produce the ethanol oin blends to a percentage of between 2 and 45% though Mmmmm.

Tony (Hic!)

[Messalina Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Messalina]

Re: Australian Commercial Bioethanol?

As far as I know, I think Manildra are producing the highest percentage ethanol blend. It is called Enhance Ethanol E5 and contains 85% ethanol and 15% unleaded petrol. Of course, a biofuel converter is needed. It costs $400. There are probably many commercial producers of low percentage ethanol blends, but there aren't many attempting high percentage blends like Manildra. I could be wrong though.

[TroyH Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close TroyH]

Re: Australian Commercial Bioethanol?

It seems there is a serious supply issue in Australia. From conversations I had with a rep at one of the nations largest ethanol manufacturers, they told me that they wouldn't have the capacity to supply the 100 KL I was enquiring about. Apparently a lot of it has to be sourced overseas from places like Brazil, because there simply isn't the local capacity.

[Myke Biofuels Forum Newbie Find all posts View Profile Close Myke]

Re: Australian Commercial Bioethanol?

SAFF is a retailer of ethanol blends, not a commercial ethanol producer. While SAFF is working to introduce E85 as a retail fuel, it isn't widely available in Australia yet [due to current fuel standards legislation], but there are millions of vehicles (in USA and Europe) that will run on it. Saab are already promoting a vehicle in Australia that runs on E85.

Currently the biggest commercial manufacturers of ethanol are Manildra (grain starch) and CSR (sugar/molasses). There is also Rocky Point in Qld who also use molasses. Agri Energy are planning to build several ethanol plants in Australia, the first being in Swan Hill (Vic). There are a number of smaller commercial fuel ethanol producers as well, including Tarac (grape marc).