Fuelling research into cutting greenhouse emissions

Reference: 07/83

With Australia’s GHG emissions at 43 per cent above the International Energy Agency average for developed countries per unit of GDP, of which 68 per cent are related to stationary energy and transport, CSIRO has been allocated $A59.6 million over four years to increase research into renewable and non-renewable natural resources which can produce low emission transport fuels.

8 May 2007

Under the Energy Transformed National Research Flagship, work will be expanded to include research related to the conversion of coal to liquids, gas to liquids, solar gas to liquids, bio-fuels and storage of high density natural gas for transport.

The work is designed to help secure Australia’s transport fuel future, which is coming under increasing pressure. It is predicted that by 2030 our self-sufficiency in oil supplies will drop from 78 per cent to 49 per cent.

“The opportunity for Australia, and CSIRO, is to reduce the likelihood of an economic and social shock of a major disruption to oil supplies and to minimise the cost of implementing change in the transport sector,” CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Geoff Garrett said.

“We have to do this while at the same time reducing the transport sector’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.

CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Geoff Garrett said.

“The increased funding to Flagships further backs the program and will help deliver greater benefits for all Australians.”

CSIRO’s National Research Flagships were launched in 2003 to address major national challenges in areas such as energy, water and health and also opportunities for industry development and job creation.

Last year’s independent review of the Flagships Program, chaired by former Government Chief Scientist, Dr Robin Batterham, highlighted the fact that the Flagships are delivering powerful scientific solutions to national problems, successfully driving large-scale activity addressing Australia’s National Research Priorities in a collaborative, cooperative, and intensively managed manner.

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