Creating a Sustainable Biodiesel Industry in Australia.

Foreword by Paul Martin

Being involved in campaign work for Flora and Fauna protection/rehabilitation for many years, I have continually found that leading by example is by far the most pro-active and effective approach to encouraging change within the community. It is from these experiences that I find myself in the middle of the push for the introduction to Australia of a very promising renewable fuel, a real option for everybody to reduce emissions.
To set up a Biodiesel supply simply because Green Sells would risk loosing the opportunity to create a truly sustainable industry.

‘Green washing’ has been commonly used by businesses to sell products for a premium; the consumer pays a little more and/or gives customer loyalty for an environmentally sound product. Unfortunately when one starts to research the claims stated by the company, it is very rare to find any ecological sound practices actually being implemented in their day to day operations - hence the term ‘green washing’. The Biodiesel Association of Australia (BAA) has developed a common set of ethics and will be putting together a discussion paper concerning the potential positive and negative impacts of a large scale Biodiesel industry. We encourage all future Biodiesel producers to incorporate the following ethics into there business assisting the introduction of a genuine renewable energy carrier onto the Australian market.

The founders of the BAA are committed to promoting a true renewable fuel that is genuinely better for our planet than its predecessor, petro-diesel.

The proof is in the product and we are determined to lead by example. Our code of ethics is based on what we believe will create a positive impact by the industry.

Feed-stocks will have to be closely monitored to ensure the industry does no long-term destruction to our environment, ensuring true sustainability.

Industry Ethic Guidelines

General Principles 

• The employment of triple bottom line accounting procedures. 
• 5% of all profits go to a fund for the advancement of environmental protection and technologies which does not involve Biodiesel. 
• Renewable resources shall be used wherever possible.
  (paper, electricity, water, etc.) 
• Higher cost does not deem an option as imposable.
  (when triple bottom line is taken into account)

Feedstock preferences 

• Precision farming methods preferred to GM crops. 
• Investigation of GM crops for environmental/social consequences before acceptance as feedstock. 
• Waste or low value products re-used where possible.
• bio-methanol or bio-ethanol used when viable.

Feedstock Exclusions

• No methanol from native woodchips. 
• No feedstock from deforestation. 
• No feedstock from factory farming.

Green Energy

• Production of Biodiesel utilizing co-generation and alternative energy sources wherever possible.
• Use of Biodiesel in all transport and agriculture producing the Biodiesel feed stocks and shipping of end products – to be phased in as regional production is developed.   

Note: All feedstock's that are deemed non-sustainable could be reviewed on application and accepted (for limited implementation) on proof of development of sustainable production.

Potential Environmental Threats

Identified threats

• Factory farming
• Wood chipping 
• Genetic engineering
• Fossil derived electricity 
• Deforestation
• Land clearing

An example of a current threat which has potentially created a 'cheap' (for the short term) - but unsustainable feedstock is Palm Oil. 

It has come to our attention that tropical rainforest has been cleared felled in Malaysia and Indonesia to expand palm oil plantations, This practice is not sustainable. Therefore imported palm oil feed stocks cannot ethically be used in Australian production plants. 

The policy should be to investigate any feed-stocks deemed unsustainable on application. If it can be proven that the feedstock in question has progressed to the point of being deemed ‘sustainable production’ it would be accepted for limited application. This has been demonstrated in Thailand where palm oil plantations are being established where rubber plantations were once the local cash crop, the rubber price has made it unviable to grow rubber trees so palm plantations are being planted on land that is otherwise abandoned and risks erosion by the elements. Planting something is usually better than doing nothing, especially where high rain fall is the norm. Buying palm oil from such a plantation could have many positive effects.

 

The Biodiesel Association of Australia website is administered for the BAA by Adrian Lake and Peter Garrad .
For more information concerning this site contact us  by email.

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BAA grants permission for the general use of any or all of this information provided due acknowledgement is given to its source.

DISCLAIMER
The information contained on the BAA web site has been electronically published by the Association to assist public knowledge and discussion and to help improve the sustainable development of the biodiesel industry. Where technical information has been prepared by or contributed by authors external to the Association, readers should contact the author(s), and conduct their own enquiries, before making use of that information.

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