Source: MIL-OSI Submissions
Source: Bioenergy Association of NZ
The Bioenergy Association of NZ has welcomed KiwiRail’s announcement that the new InterIslander ferry engines will be marine diesel oil/battery hybrids.
“Ironically this option offers a lower cost and risk route to emissions reductions than the LNG or methanol alternatives previously considered by KiwiRail”, association EO Brian Cox said.
“Marine diesel oil is a blend of gas oil and heavy fuel oils (HFO), and HFO is one of the easier fuels to produce from biomass. This is actively under development by Crown Research Institute Scion and other teams internationally.
With the work underway by Te Uru Rākau on the supply of wood for production of biofuels, bio-HFO could be supplying a proportion of the required fuel when the ships come on stream latter this decade.”
Mr Cox said that “Better still by Kiwi Rail immediately importing drop-in renewable diesel we could have the rail system ón a low emissions fuel within months rather than years. That would really reduce our emissions and show the rest of heavy transport sector what they could also achieve. If Government really wanted to reduce emissions it would assist Kiwi Rail to do that quickly. By the time the new ferries arrive Kiwi Rail would already be experienced in using biofuels.”
