The article gives a summary of various alternative fuels being developed in Australia.
While Australia’s rapid electrification is critical for net-zero targets and resilience across Australia’s energy system, it cannot solve the entire equation.
Hard-to-abate sectors – including aviation, heavy industry, agriculture and mining – face challenges relating to the use of electricity at the scales and temperatures required. Major fuel users require scalable and affordable alternative fuels to lower emissions while safeguarding operational continuity.
According to CSIRO’s research director – energy technologies Dr Daniel Roberts, who presented on a panel at the recent SAF APAC (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) Summit in Melbourne, supporting and enabling the alternative fuel transition requires a shift in mindset.
“There is no such thing as a single solution approach for a challenge of this magnitude,” Dr Roberts said. “Ultimately we will rely on a balanced portfolio of feedstocks and technologies, with each being evaluated on a case-by-case basis from the perspectives of scale, deployment time, feedstock availability, and cost.”