An association of independent fuel importers and marketers, the IPG was founded in 2002 with a membership including Woolworths, 7 Eleven, Matilda, Gull, Liberty Oil, Trafigura, and Neumann Petroleum.
IPG action plans submitted to the Australian Government have led industry minister Ian Macfarlane to claim that Australia’s commitment to renewable fuels is higher than anticipated.
In a statement released yesterday, Macfarlane said the IPG plans demonstrated a “strong vote of confidence in the industry”.
Prime minister John Howard said yesterday during a press briefing that the growing strength of the biofuels industry could be attributed in part to the support of Nationals senator Ron Boswell, who had championed biofuels since the production targets were set in 2001.
Howard said given the commitment from major and independent fuel retailers, it was probable that Australia would reach the 350ML target during the 2008-2009 period.
“It is a conservative projection that we will pass it,” Howard said.
“This is very good news. I promised in September when I met the chief executives of the oil majors and the independents that we would have industry action plans, [that] we would work together.
“I want to thank the oil companies and the independents for their cooperation. I’m pleased to acknowledge that significant work is already underway,” Howard said.
Macfarlane said increasing consumer confidence in biofuels was the best investment that could be made in the sector.
“The Australian Government has provided more than $A36 million in capital grants, $A41 million in production grants and tax-free status for the fuels until 2011 for existing and potential biodiesel and ethanol producers,” Macfarlane said.
In an interview with www.EnvironmentalManagementNews.net, Dalby Biorefinery director Chris Harrison said that although the Queensland ethanol project had received very little funding from either Federal or State Governments, a $A7.5 million federal initiative to increase consumer confidence in biofuels would help the industry as a whole.
Howard said recent reports indicating consumer confidence in biofuels – particularly ethanol – gave cause for optimism within the industry.
