Australia: Saudi Arabia of the renewable oil world?
With its annual rainfall and soil temperatures perfect for growing the tall perennial cane Arundo donax, the north of Australia could find itself at the forefront of the world’s leading biofuel energy producers.
Norwegian company ENEnergy has already submitted pastoral permit applications to different governments in a bid to plant and grow Arundo donax in the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland.
This plant can grow up to 10 centimetres every day and will be used to produce large quantities of ethanol, with each plantation over 100, 000 hectares.
‘We think that the top end of Australia effectively can become the Saudi Arabia of the renewable oil world’, says ENEnergy spokesperson Hans Olav Byorenak.
However, there are some drawbacks to planting huge volumes of this giant reed. Stuart Blanch, of the Northern Territory Environment Centre, explains that not only does it grow rapidly in water, occupying rivers and floodplains, but is also flammable during the hotter months.
Norwegian company ENEnergy has already submitted pastoral permit applications to different governments in a bid to plant and grow Arundo donax in the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland.
This plant can grow up to 10 centimetres every day and will be used to produce large quantities of ethanol, with each plantation over 100, 000 hectares.
‘We think that the top end of Australia effectively can become the Saudi Arabia of the renewable oil world’, says ENEnergy spokesperson Hans Olav Byorenak.
However, there are some drawbacks to planting huge volumes of this giant reed. Stuart Blanch, of the Northern Territory Environment Centre, explains that not only does it grow rapidly in water, occupying rivers and floodplains, but is also flammable during the hotter months.
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