Queensland says it’s “the first jurisdiction in the world” to commit to the global below50 network unifying businesses supporting sustainable fuels.
The move is expected to aid the transition to electric, hydrogen and other alternative fuel vehicles.
The below50 organisation connects those backing fuels producing at least 50% less carbon dioxide than regular fossil fuels.
Larissa Rose
The Queensland Government formally endorsed its membership during an event at Queensland Parliament.
Joined by international members of the movement at Parliament House, state development, manufacturing, infrastructure and planning minister Cameron Dick recommitted Queensland to a statement of collaboration originally signed at the BIO World Congress in Philadelphia earlier this year.
“The presence of Gerard Ostheimer, senior advisor of below50, who travelled here from Washington, and Geneva-based Damiana Serafini, transport manager at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and global lead of below50, underlines the importance of this agreement,” Dick says.
“We are proud to be the first jurisdiction in the world to have committed our support to this global sustainability campaign for fuels that reduce carbon emissions by more than 50% compared with conventional fossil fuels.
Cameron Dick.
“Formalising the agreement allows us to grow these relationships and draw on the support and expertise of the below50 global community, which includes investors, businesses, renewable fuel producers and users, and government agencies.”
Dick says the commitment also opens the door to opportunities for Queensland with below50 Australia stakeholders in the renewable fuel supply chain and helps further promote the uptake of sustainable low-carbon fuels.
Queensland’s engagement with below50 aligns strongly with the Palaszczuk Government’s Biofutures 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan, which outlines a vision for the development of a thriving industrial biotechnology and bioproducts sector, including the production of sustainable biofuels, he says.
“Queensland is strongly placed to capitalise on our existing agricultural and manufacturing base and supporting infrastructure to take a leading role in the production of low carbon fuels.
“The supply chain runs from farmers supplying biomass in the form of feedstock to biorefineries turning this into renewable fuels, and the associated opportunities from this work will lead to the creation of more high-value, knowledge-based jobs here in Queensland.”
Queensland Renewable Fuels Association (QRFA) founder and managing director Larissa Rose says the objective is to see greater uptake of low-carbon fuels into Queensland’s transport sector.
“The Queensland Government is to be congratulated for successfully becoming the first jurisdiction in the world to sign up to the below50 global campaign,” she says.
“This world-first status is really something to celebrate, and puts Queensland in the driver’s seat for collaborating, promoting and expanding the production and use of sustainable low carbon biofuels.
“QRFA have a vision for our state, and we look forward to collaborating with the Queensland Government to foster additional partnerships and business-to-business opportunities to support our biofutures sector.”
