KAP state leader and member for Mount Isa Robbie Katter has welcomed in the new year with a full tank of E10.
January 1 marked the beginning of the Queensland Biofuel mandate, an agenda heavily pursued by the KAP.
"From the start we committed to using our powers in this hung parliament to grow our industries - Ethanol was one of the priorities," Mr Katter said.
"Setting a mandate for the sale of this fuel wont just benefit our growers and the biofuels industry, it also means cleaner air in built up areas.
"It's a win-win for both the country and the city.”
The KAP had successfully negotiated a higher mandate during the passage of the Liquid Fuel Supply (Ethanol and Other Biofuels Mandate) Amendment Act 2015.
Ethanol was one of the priorities
- Robbie Katter
As a long time advocate agricultural industries KAP have pushed the mandate further to ensure there is a continued incentive to invest and grow the sector.
"We want to see this mandate eventually drive our producers to capacity," Mr Katter said.
"Everyone's new years resolution should be to support Queensland by giving E10 a go," he said.
Minister for Energy, Biofuel and Water Supply Mark Bailey said the biofuels mandate requires liable fuel sellers to sell a minimum amount of biobased petrol (3%), such as E10, and biobased diesel (0.5%).
“The ethanol component of the mandate will only apply to fuel retailers who sell more than 500,000 litres of petrol at a site each calendar quarter or who own 10 or more sites,” Mr Bailey said.
“The threshold means that 93 per cent of all regular unleaded petrol sales in Queensland will continue to be captured by the mandate, but that smaller businesses, who don’t sell much petrol will not need to comply.”
Mr Bailey said the Queensland biofuels mandate will play a key role in Queensland’s move to a clean energy economy and it is important to protect our smaller fuel businesses.
“Our ethanol mandate is set at a level that seeks to ensure fuel retailers continue to offer a broad range of fuel grades.
“This gives motorists more access to cleaner sources of fuel, while maintaining choice at the bowser.”
Vehicle compatibility can be checked online at: https://e10ok.initiatives.qld.gov.au/
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
