Te Uru Rākau is moving ahead with the next stage of research into creating a New Zealand biofuels industry, following a
successful first stage, Director Sector Investments Jason Wilson announced today.
“The Wood Fibre Futures project earlier this year identified viable wood-based alternatives to high carbon emitting
products such as transport fuel, concrete, steel and coal.
“Having identified the options, we are now looking to accelerate to stage two of the project, which will be to build
business cases for attracting international investors to New Zealand.”
Mr Wilson says there is considerable interest in biofuels and biomass energy from organisations such as Air New Zealand
and Fonterra.
“We are now putting out a tender, seeking an organisation with extensive international contacts and experience that can
develop compelling business cases for investing in the biofuels and solid fuels sector in New Zealand.”
These business cases are expected to be completed by mid-2021 and will include focus on wood-based products that will
provide a large source of residues that can be used to produce three priority products identified in stage one:biocrude oilliquid biofuels (such as sustainable aviation fuel)solid fuels such as wood pellets
“We have a huge amount of pine in New Zealand that can be used to create these fuels, but we need to attract investment
and prove that there is both the demand, and a viable supply, and that is what we are aiming to do by developing these
business cases,” says Mr Wilson.
“The growing demand for alternatives to fossil fuels has the potential to transform the forestry sector into a provider
of biofuels, bioenergy and a range of renewable bioproducts alongside more traditional wood products.
“The Government is committed to moving New Zealand to a low carbon future and Forestry has a major role to play in that
future.”
Mr Wilson says biofuels will also have the added benefit of supporting regional development with biofuel manufacturing
centres being in the same areas where forestry is prevalent.
“We are already seeing sizeable investment in wood pellets to replace coal use in New Zealand and this will only
increase as the domestic carbon price rises.
“In North America and Europe, government policies targeting transport emissions are beginning to catalyse investment in
biofuels, which also have the ability to benefit New Zealand economically, environmentally and create employment in our
regions.”
Te Uru Rākau is leading this work as part of the Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan, which is one
of six transformation projects given priority by the Government.
The other five are Construction (through the Construction Sector Accord); Agritech; Advanced Manufacturing, Food and
Beverage and Digital Technologies.