Scania helps launch biodiesel plant

Scania says its customers across Australia will soon be able to run their trucks on B100 biodiesel produced at the recommissioned manufacturing plant in Barnawartha, Victoria.

Owned and operated by Just Biodiesel, up to 50 million litres of fuel per year can be produced from the plant. The biodiesel is made from locally-sourced animal waste and waste vegetable oil and either pure B100 biodiesel or B20 blend can be produced.

All Scania Euro 5 trucks can operate on B100 if specified for it at the factory. Those not factory-specified for B100 can be converted at minimal cost, after a short visit to a Scania workshop.

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Scania Australia says it also offers five engine applications from 320hp to 580hp in the Euro 6 range that can operate on B100.

One of the key biodiesel benefits is an up to 83 per cent reduction in carbon emissions well-to-wheel (in the case of B100), as well as the advantage that locally-produced biodiesel delivers in terms of boosting national fuel security.

At Just Biodiesel’s plant in Barnawartha, the base feedstock is tallow derived from animal rendering, some of which is produced by a third-party supplier located within the boundaries of the biodiesel plant. Used cooking oil collected from restaurants around Australia can also be used in the fuel’s manufacture.

The Just Biodiesel plant will begin exporting renewable fuel in August to California and Europe which are markets with high demand for the fuel.

Speaking at the launch of the plant, Dr John Hewson, Chairman of Bioenergy Australia said biodiesel manufacturing in Australia had been reborn. He also said that producing biodiesel locally can play an important role in shoring up Australia’s fuel security.

“Just Biodiesel is setting an example of what can be done. The business community is moving ahead so we can make the transition to a low carbon society by the middle of this century, which is an imperative.

“The government has no fuel security strategy. We have 21 days of fuel and we have the distinction of having the dirtiest petrol in the OECD. This is a sad situation, we are very exposed, so it is not surprising that others have decided we have to get on and create fuel from alternative sources,” Dr Hewson said.

“Eighty per cent of the soya bean that we export to Europe is converted to biofuels. We don’t do any value-adding in that industry in this country at all. These are very significant challenges where the risk of not having a secure fuel policy is a major disadvantage to this country. We are very exposed,” he said.

“We don’t have a national waste management strategy. Feedstocks for biofuels and alternative fuels are spread right across this country so there is enormous potential for development in regional Australia for investment and jobs using existing technologies to convert waste into fuels.”

The Barnawartha plant operated by Just Biodiesel has re-employed 11 of the original staff from the facility (which was closed in 2016) and is on track to add a further five jobs.

The newly-elected Federal Member for Indi, Dr Helen Haines MP, said she was delighted that local jobs in regional and rural Australia could be created by the emerging biofuels industry, which also offered environmental benefits.

“I am delighted there are around 16 jobs being created in Barnawartha, and that vehicles fuelled with this biodiesel will reduce emissions substantially, if we choose to use it. I am delighted that the fuel is being exported, but I would be more thrilled if I saw Australia embracing this more fully,” Dr Haines said.

The Director of Just Biodiesel, Peter Chomley, said he was pleased that the four-month recommissioning programme at the plant had gone well, and that with distribution partners Refuelling Solutions and Viva Energy, its biodiesel product would be available to more consumers.

“We have also developed a pathway to sell biodiesel to the California and EU markets for a simple reason; the biodiesel industry there is well established, and has been supported by many years of renewable energy support by governments.

“In California, biodiesel accounts for 15 per cent of the diesel market. In Australia it is basically zero. The key reason we are exporting is price. We can sell pure B100 biodiesel overseas at a higher price than the current Australian diesel (pump) price,” he said.

Transporting fuel from the plant to customers is undertaken by Refuelling Solutions, a 30-year-old logistics operation started and run by Tony Hartin.

Scania Australia’s Sustainability Solutions Manager Anthony King was present at the launch and was excited by the prospect of a large-scale supply of biodiesel now reaching the market.

“Scania has recently signed an MOU with Just Biodiesel for the supply of a fuel that is of a high standard and suitable for use by Scania vehicles,” Mr King said.

“With partnerships such as this, we are driving the shift towards sustainable transport solutions in Australia and making it happen now!”

“Just Biodiesel is providing an approved standard (EN14214) fuel that gives our truck and bus customers consistent, reliable and guaranteed supply for their biodiesel-ready vehicles, so that when they specify a Scania for B100 use, or simply use as a B20 blend, they can be sure there will be supply when they need it.

“The Barnawartha plant is setting a new benchmark for biodiesel in Australia. No one else produces biodiesel on this scale here, and they have opportunities to increase their production with further facilities available to bring on line as demand grows around the country,” Mr King said.

“Through their partnership with fuel logistics experts Refuelling Solutions, Just Biodiesel is able to ensure consistent supply to convenient locations for our customers. All that is now required is for Scania customers to determine that they will adopt biodiesel, either as a blend (B20) or in a pure B100 form, to run in their vehicles and reducing their carbon footprint by up to 83 per cent well-to-wheel.”

“Demand for biodiesel is growing across several sectors of the Australia economy,” he said.

“Community and local government awareness is growing from coast-to-coast, particularly among municipal waste contractors. Biofuel production provides an environmental best practice benefit, local job creation and fuel security for Australia.

“We have seen European, and in particular Swedish operators, leading the world in adopting waste-to-fuel technology to produce biofuels, and we see great opportunities for a similar outcome in Australia,” Mr King said.

In addition to signing an MOU for the supply of biodiesel from Just Biodiesel, Scania Australia has already concluded MOUs with Wilmar Bioethanol Australia, Ecotech Biodiesel, and the NGV Group, infrastructure suppliers and consultants for Natural Gas and Biogas. These MOUs will assist Scania truck and bus customers to ensure their supply of alternative and renewable fuels to help drive down their fleet emissions.